Dragon Burn
by RDC
Summary: *COMPLETE* (sniffs) It's finished, my very first fiction is completed! Thank you for making it worthwhile! V/H all the way baby!!!! And I'm actually crying right now! I'll wait a while then put on the real blur for the story summary...Thanks
1. To you, my love, I will speed.

Dragon Burn.  
By   
Amanda Wardropper   
To you, my love, I shall speed.  
Chapter 1 - Earth. One year after Gaea  
"Hold on Hitomi!" Yukari shouted down the road as she followed Hitomi round the corner.   
"I haven't seen you run like that since track team." she said as she caught her breath while Hitomi stood patiently by her side.   
"Well, it is the summer holidays Yukari!" Hitomi boasted. "And I would have been at my Grandmother's a half hour ago, if you hadn't stopped to drool over that guy at the arcade." she added sarcastically.  
They walked the rest of the way to Yukari's house and agreed to keep in touch during the holidays. Hitomi carried on walking down the Poplar tree lined street. She swiftly turned the corner and broke into a sudden run, she really wanted to see her grandmother. Something extremely pointy jabbed her painfully in her left breast. She halted, reaching into the inside blazer pocket, she pulled out a pure, white feather. She felt a lump in her throat as she remembered her angel winged love, Van, whom she still felt for deeply. She couldn't bear being apart from him but a year seemed like forever. She put the feather back into her pocket where she always kept it and broke into another run, but not for the fun of it, she was trying to escape the tears which now filled her eyes.  
She reached her grandmother's gate and flung it open with unexpected force. She knocked calmly on the door, trying to hide her tears and emotions. Her grandmother answered it, "Come on in Hitomi." she said in a kind, caring voice. Hitomi walked in still trying to wipe the tears from her eyes. It was too late, her grandmother noticed her sorrow. "What's the matter Hitomi?"  
"Oh, it's nothing grandma." Hitomi replied.  
"There is, I can tell." Her grandmother said sternly. Just then the feather dropped out of Hitomi's blazer pocket and fell onto the floor. Her grandmother knelt down and picked it up. Somewhere, deep in Hitomi's mind a question was raised and an answer given. Is he calling me? He is. She then became aware of her grandmother gently shaking her and saying, "Hitomi, what's this?" She held up the feather. Hitomi couldn't deny that the feather belonged to a half man, half Atlantian angel, which she had fallen in love with.  
"It's...it's nothing." she said, snapping out of her thoughts.  
"Something tells me that it's not." Her grandmother replied. It was no use hiding from her as she had been to Gaea herself and possessed psychic abilities much like her own. Hitomi jerked her head away from her grandmothers gaze. "It's about Gaea, isn't it." Hitomi nodded her head slowly. "Why don't you sit down and tell me about it. I have a feeling that this," and she held up the feather, "has a lot to do with why you haven't been yourself over the past year."   
Hitomi had never told anyone about Allen, Merle and ... Van, but she thought that if anyone would understand it would be her grandmother. The story took about an hour to re-tell and the sun was setting when she finished telling of Van and their sacrifice of their love for one another. "Ah, I thought so, that you'd fallen in love. But Hitomi, why are you so sad ?"  
"Because, I can't see him anymore." She cried out, "We're two worlds apart." Hitomi was surprised at her grandmothers blindness.  
"But Hitomi, don't you know that you can go back to Gaea. As long as you have something from both worlds you can go between them to your hearts content!" At this Hitomi's mouth dropped.   
Her grandmother smiled knowingly and said, "You really want to see him again. Don't you?" Hitomi nodded and picked up her jaw. Her grandmother looked out of the window, to the darkening sky, in the rough direction of Gaea, a shape that only she and Hitomi could see. After a short while she turned back to Hitomi and said, "He wants to see you too, so here's what you are going to do." She quickened her voice towards the end of the sentence, "You will pack your bag, your tarot cards,"  
"But I stopped doing them."  
"You're going to start again, he needs your help." Hitomi felt a throb in her heart and wondered if he was alright. Her grandmother continued, "And you will pack this," she held up the feather, "tell your mother that you're staying with me for a while and come back here." She stood up and signaled Hitomi to do so as well. She then ushered Hitomi out of the door and gate, then went back in.  
  
Hitomi ran the rest of the way home and it was dark when she burst through the door. Her mother intercepted her, "Where do you think your going," she boomed, "you missed your tea."  
"I'm sorry Mom but I need to pack my bags, my grandmother wants me to stay at hers for a while."  
"Why on earth does she want you."  
"I don't know." Hitomi shrugged her shoulders and ran upstairs.  
She packed everything she'd need, a new set of clothes, tarot cards etc.  
She said good-bye to her mother and ran outside to the bus stop. The bus was already there so she got straight on and traveled to her grandmother's again.  
Her grandmother opened the door for Hitomi and when they were inside made sure Hitomi had everything. "One more thing. This!" She took out a red jewel, the size of her palm and placed it in Hitomi's. "You'll need this. Now, lets get you back to Gaea."  
At this, Hitomi's mind whirled with mixed emotions and images of Allen, Merle, Moleman and Van. Van!I'm going to see him again.  
Her grandmother had to push her out into the back yard where the crickets chirped happily. "Now where's the feather, from Gaea?"  
  
"Here." Hitomi reached into her pocket and pulled out the feather.  
"The ruby?" Hitomi patted her bag in answer. "OK. Now hold the feather up and wish with all your heart to see your lost love again." Hitomi stepped back, held up the feather in one hand and kept tight hold of her bag in the other. She concentrated on Van's smiling face and thought, Van...I want to see you again. That moment seemed like forever to Hitomi but sure enough she was once again bathed in white light. She smiled down at her grandmother, who was watching the miracle happen, as she was lifted up and disappeared into thin air, the white light left behind a temporary path of light particles and her grandmother thought, She's on her way back to her true love...  



	2. To you, my love, I will wait.

Dragon Burn  
by   
Amanda Wardropper   
To you, my love, I shall wait.   
Chapter 2 - Gaea. 1 Year after Hitomi  
"Lord Van! Lord Van!" Van snapped out of his daydream and saw Merle clamber up the roof. She sat down beside him and said quietly, "Oh Lord Van, you sit here every evening when the Mystic moon hangs low in the sky."  
"I know Merle, I know, it's just ..."  
"You still feel for her, don't you." He lowered his head in submission to the fact that he still loved Hitomi and missed her with all his heart. "Don't worry Lord Van, if she truly loves you, she'll come back." Van stared at his friend. She had grown so much over the past year and come to terms with Van's emotions, but still, if she loves me. He broke out of his thoughts when she said, "The Lord Holders are looking for you Oh King of New Fanailia," she said sarcastically, "they wish to hold a meeting." She flounced back down the roof leaving Van to rise steadily.  
He groaned to himself, Lord Holder meetings were always boring and Van couldn't wait to get back to the solitude of his chamber.  
He slid down the roof, caught himself on the guttering, winced as his sword's sheath pounded against his leg and dropped down into the corridor through the window. He ran up the corridor and burst through the conference room doors to begin his meeting with the Lord Holders.   
It was a full hour and a half before Van emerged from the conference room. He immediately sought the comfort of his personal quarters. He sat down at his desk and began sifting through old record skins. There was a knock on the door, " Who is it ?" So much for my solitude, he thought.  
"Merle" the voice squeaked.  
"Oh, Merle, come in." She opened the door. "I brought you a drink." She placed the tray down on his bedside table and poured him a mug of the tea like brew. She carried the mug over to the desk and placed it in the corner. "A boring meeting?" She finally said. He nodded slowly. In a fresh breath she replied, "Well, I have to get back to Tirone so I'll leave you here, with your record skins, your stationary and your memories." She knew him better than anybody. She left the room.   
Suddenly, Van felt a warm glow on his chest and chin, he stared down at the pendant, which Hitomi had given him, that made him and Escaflowne stronger. It was glowing and his mind swirled with pictures of Hitomi. Is she calling me? There was only one person who could summon him via the pendant. Somewhere, deep inside his soul, a loud voice, created by a primal instinct and that made his head ache, shouted, Hitomi! I want you!  
  
At that moment another, brighter, light shone, outside his window. His attention was directed to the pillar of white light which ended in a small forest clearing, not far from the castle. "Hitomi!" It's her, I know it is. He jerked upward and ran out of the chamber. He shot down the corridor, lifting his T-shirt over his head and nearly tripping because of it. As he stumbled past Merle he flung his shirt and sword sheath at her. "Merle! Keep hold of this for me will ya!"  
"Where are you going Lord ..." Her words were muffled by his shirt.  
He skidded round the corner, onto the balcony surround and jumped off. He spread his wings before he could fall too far and glided gracefully to the forest clearing.   
Merle reached the balcony just as he disappeared into the night. "Oh Lord Van." She said, in a sympathetic voice.  



	3. Forever and a day.

Dragon Burn  
by   
Amanda Wardropper   
Forever and a day.   
Chapter 3 - Forest clearing, castle of New Fanailia.  
There was a light rain when Van skimmed off the high tree tops, at the edge of the forest clearing. When he saw the figure sprawled out and unconscious on the forest floor, his heart started pounding. What if ... he thought. No! he shook the notion from his head. He landed, not far from the body, walked over to it and knelt down on one knee. It was Hitomi, he would recognize her anywhere. The rain had become slightly heavier as Hitomi began to stir. Her eyes were blurred but she could see someone watching over her. In a haze of fear she sat upright, Van stumbled back to allow her room, and said, "Hitomi? Hitomi! It's all right, it's me, Van."  
"Van?" Her eyes widened and she stood up. She ran to him and burried her face into his chest. "Van, it's really you!" she said blinking tears of joy from her green eyes. He embraced her lightly and stared down at her, trying to hide his own tears. . . .if she truly loves me.  
"Oh Hitomi, I've missed you so much." He pulled her closer to him and tightened the embrace, she lifted her head up to him so their eyes met. She could see the rain dripping from his nose, she could also make out that his head was moving closer to hers, she responded by meeting him half way and there, under the Mystic moon and the rain, their lips met and the two shared their first, passionate kiss. I never want this moment to pass, Van thought. He lifted his lips away and stared longingly down at her and smiled to himself. Suddenly, the two were struck by the same vision, although it affected Hitomi most. Hitomi backed away, "No, no! I don't want to fight again." She shouted as she held her head. Their vision was of Hitomi, standing in front of two, great dragons fighting over the castle of New Fanailia. To one side of the picture there was a bright pillar of red light and Hitomi was surrounded by a ring of fire. Van stepped forward and put his hands on her shoulders, shaking her gently, "Hitomi snap outta it!"  
"Huh?" She blinked out of the vision. Her body began to lean forward, Van caught her in his arms. Just like old times, he thought. Now he just had to get her back to the castle. He sprang upwards, heaving his huge wings to give him enough downwind to lift him and Hitomi up to the balcony.  
When he arrived on the balcony, Merle came running up to him as he drew his wings back in. "Lord Van I'm so glad your alright." She cried, "Hitomi?" He nodded. She stood there in disbelief.  
"Don't just stand there Merle! Help me with her, I'm freezing and wet."  
"Gee OK! Jason! Tirone! Get your butts out here, now!" She shouted down the corridor which was joined onto the balcony. A tall man, about a head higher than Van, and a white cat boy came scurrying around the corner.  



	4. There for you, always.

Dragon Burn   
By Amanda Wardropper   
There for you, always.   
Chapter 4 - Castle of New Fanailia   
Van spent the rest of the night in the room that he'd given Hitomi. He was sat at the desk going through old record skins. "Where am I?" He heard a weak voice say.   
He stared at her, lying in bed and said, "Oh! How are you feeling Hitomi?"   
"Van? What are you doing here?"   
"Woah! That vision must of affected your memory." He sniggered, "Joking! Don't you remember anything?"   
"Er.....yeah, I remember that vision." She groaned and placed her hand on her head.   
"You've been out cold for some time, I was beginning to get worried!"   
Hitomi was touched by his sudden emotions and a little taken back, but she was pleased to have someone to talk to. She was even more touched when he said, "I missed you, you know." He looked away from her and blushed, she couldn't help but smile at his momentary vulnerability.   
She sat up and propped herself on one elbow. She reached down the side of her bed for her bag and blazer, she didn't have time to get changed in her house she realized. When she lifted them onto the bed she noticed the feather sticking out of the blazer pocket. Van turned his head towards her as she pulled the feather out, "You're calling me again."   
"What?"   
She put the feather back swiftly when it caused her a vision of it in darkness and a loud voice shouting, Hitomi! I need you!   
Van shuddered when he received the same vision, magnified by the pendant, which saw fit to show him what the feather had shown her. He recognized the voice from the other day. He didn't understand it, but he had never felt the emotion that it caused before. "What was that?" She asked.   
"I don't know." Van was all but kicking himself.   
"Oh!" Hitomi now remembered the ruby in her bag. "My grandmother said I'd need this." She pulled it out of the bag and held it up so Van could see.   
He gasped and said, "But that's the same as ...." He held up the skin which he was studying. Her eyes widened when she saw the diagrams of a ruby, like hers, a dragon head and scriptures which she could not read.   
"I have no idea what all of this means."   
"Hmmmmm ... Obviously I'll be needing this." She put the jewel in her blazer pocket and took the feather out again. She sat up and began to lift herself out of bed, Van looked on encouragingly. She walked, shakily but determindly over to the open window. "I won't be needing this anymore though," she allowed the feather to be carried away on the breeze.   
"Why?   
"Because I've got the real thing." She turned around to face him and smiled. He smiled back at her and blushed slightly. He's still the same old Van, she thought. He stood up from his stool and walked to the door, he stopped before opening it and said, "Look, I'm going to get something from the kitchens and then I'm gonna get some rest, you want anything?"   
"No thanks, I'm fine."   
"Oh! I forgot tomorrow night is Merle's birthday party, I hope you'll be there." He opened the door and went out, closing it behind him.   
Hitomi smiled to herself and thought, Is it just me or has he found a way with women. I've been awake a couple of minutes and he hasen't upset me yet!   
She walked back to her bed and collapsed in it, she needed as much rest as she could get if she was going to help him again. Still, there was something in that record which she did recognize, but she couldn't put her finger on it.


	5. Party crashing

Dragon Burn   
By Amanda Wardropper   
Party crashin'.   
Chapter 5 - Castle of New Fanailia, market square, Fanailia's hall, forest of Fanailia.   
Hitomi woke up the following morning to Merlle's voice, "Hitomi! You're awake!"   
"I am now, Merle." Hitomi said drowsily.   
Merle put on an innocent smile and said, "Here I brought you some breakfast," She held up the tray and placed it on Hitomi's lap when she'd sat up, " and this!" She held up a dress that was sizes too big for her.   
"It's beautiful!" Hitomi said between mouthfuls of her breakfast.   
"It belonged to Van's mother. I thought you could wear it at the party tonight to cheer Lord Van up."   
"Cheer him up?"   
"He hasn't been himself lately and I thought you could help."   
"But I can't wear that, it doesn't belong to me."   
"Now listen you silly girl, I just want my Lord Van to be as happy as he was before you left us!" Tears filled her eyes as she snapped at her then she added, in a sweeter voice, "You're the only one who can help, you're the only one he's ever loved and trusted."   
After much arguing, Merlle got her way and Hitomi promised to wear the dress if the cat would leave her alone.   
Merle left Hitomi to get dressed in some of the clothes she'd brought with her to Gaea and finish off her breakfast. She also said to meet her at the main gates so they could go into town.   
  
Hitomi ran down the corridor. "Watch out!" She shouted as she went crashing into a figure who was also belting down the corridor.   
"Hitomi?" It was Van, "Where are you going?"   
"I promised Merle I'd meet her at the main gates so she could take me into town." She said between breaths.   
He looked her up and down. She had a more visible figure. To break the silence that fell he said, "Well would you do a favor for me?" He took two notes out of his trouser pocket and placed them in Hitomi's hands, "Here's fifty gen, would you buy something for Merle for me? Oh!" He realized that Hitomi would not have any Gaean currency so he gave her fifty gen as well, "Here, spend as you wish." He gave her a shy smile and ran off.   
"Thanks, I guess." She said after him. She carried on her run to the main gates.   
When she met Merle at the gates the two of them caught a carriage into town and into the market square.   
Merle taught Hitomi to barter and Hitomi came away with a rather fetching design on a nail file, her present to Merlle and shoes with the money Van had given her. With Van's money she bought a gold bracelet, which was meant to be a symbol of friendship, for Merle's gift.   
When they got back Merle suggested that they start getting ready. Merle brought her dress and helped Hitomi into hers.   
"Hurry up Hitomi or we will be late!" She shouted from outside the corridor.   
"Shhhhh. We don't want Van to see yet and he's only down the corridor." She said in a hoarse whisper.   
"Don't be silly he's probably already in the hall, so come on!" She grabbed Hitomi by the arm and rushed her to the hall entrance.   
When the door opened for them the crowd cleared a path for Merle but all felt silent when they noticed Hitomi ... and the dress.   
She could see Van at the back of the hall with a group of friends, he was dressed in a black tuxedo with a lilac flower in the lapel.   
Van stared up at her and recognized the dress as his mother's. He thought to himself, Only Merle could come up with this. He smiled to himself, he didn't mind one bit, infact, he thought she looked beautiful in it, the white dress was made of the finest silk and was embroided with silver feathers, it had a thick, pink sash around the waist. At the base of the spine a pair of silk wings were attached and the skirt dropped to the floor, but didn't trail too much on it. Her hair was pinned back with small slides but the fringe had been left out. The whole dress seemed to give Hitomi a certain aura.   
Sensing Hitomi's tension at being scrutinized by the crowd he shouted over, "Hey Hitomi, Merle, over here!" He waved them over to his group. Hitomi felt glad to leave the slightly raised platform of the stairs. Merle is going to pay big time for this!, she thought.   
When they got to his group Merle left Hitomi's side and jumped across to the young cat boy. "This is Tirone, Hitomi." She said, she turned to Tirone, who was slightly smaller than herself and said, "C'mon the dancin's about to start." She grabbed his arm and they disappeared into the crowd.   
Van turned back round to Hitomi and put his hand on her shoulder, "This is Hitomi, Jason." He said to the taller boy stood infront of them, "Jason is my wing second." He announced proudly to her. Jason knelt down on one knee, took her hand and kissed it. "Why Van she's even more beautiful than you said!"   
Hitomi blushed, he stood up and chuckled. Van smiled at her. Jason gave a mock salute and Van returned it, he bowed to Hitomi and wandered off to greet others.   
Van turned to her again and she looked up at him, "You know, there's only one thing that could make you look more beautiful." He reached round the back of his neck and unfastened the pendant. He placed it around her's and smiled in satisfaction.   
Some music started then, he bowed to her and asked, "May I have this dance?"   
She curtsied and replied, "You may."   
She put her arms around his neck and he took great pleasure in putting his around her waist.   
As the dance moved on she took her arms from around his neck for a rest and placed her hands and head against his chest. This would give the Lord Holders something to talk about at the next meeting. Their embrace was interrupted by a sudden explosion which shattered some of the hall's windows. Damn! He thought. The two were almost deafened when the piecing screams of the crowd infultraited their ears, she pushed him away gently when a messenger reported to him.   
"Sir, Zaibech rebels have reformed and are attacking the castle!"   
Van growled in agitation when he let go of her. He ran to the edge of the smashed window, followed by Hitomi and the messenger. He shouted at the top of his voice, "Jason!"   
A voice sounded back, "Present." Suddenly, a huge red dragon, carrying him, came up from outside the broken window.   
Hitomi asked, in a voice only meant for Van's ears, "A red Escaflowne?"   
"It's all part of being wingsecond." He replied. Just then he summoned his own guymelif and Jason's backed away to allow the white dragon to rise level with the window. Van jumped into Escaflowne's cockpit.   
Hitomi picked up her skirt and ran forward to the edge and shouted to him while he hovered politely while she spoke, "Van, wait, let me come with you!"   
"No Hitomi, stay here, I don't want you getting hurt."   
She had had just about enough of his caring attitude by now. "Look! I was willing to come back here again to save your worthless butt and that's what I'm going to do! Besides I'm here in the fear that something might happen to you." She added, in a less angrier tone, "I don't want to lose you, not now."   
Van looked down at her and realized that on numerous occasions during their first adventure she had accompanied him on missions like this one and proved useful in encouragement aswell as skill. He sighed and shrugged his shoulders, women, you couldn't live with them or without them. He reached his hand out to her. She took it and he lifted her onto Escaflowne. "Hold on tight. Jason, lets ride, have the troops   
been dispatched yet?"   
"Aye sir."   
She held on tight around his waist as the two dragons soared across the sky.   
Suddenly, they were struck by metal claws coming from invisible guymelifs. She knew what to do before he even asked, she concentrated on the pendant and Zaibech guymelifs. "To your right Van!" She screamed, he responded quickly and had Escaflowne swerve on it's tail and haunches. They barely missed the flame that sped right past them. "Behind you!"   
"I'm on it!" He drew Escaflowne's sword and sliced through a guymelif as he turned to sweep the ground with it. He climbed back up to a vigilant height.   
"You go on ahead Van, I'll cover you. Say that's a nice good luck charm you got there, I wouldn't mind one myself." Jason shouted over, as he came up beside them. He winked at Hitomi.   
"Hands off her Jason, she's mine!" The two boys laughed in unison. They must be best friends, she thought, blinking in surprise at Van's protectiveness.   
  
By the time they got back the damage report Van received wasn't staggering. Jason retired to his room and Hitomi to hers. She got changed back into her uniform and scanned the dress in fear she might have damaged it. Having found no trace of a rip she wandered out onto the balcony.   
Just for the pure fun of it, she whispered into the night breeze, "Romeo, Romeo, where fore art thou, Romeo?" Simple question, simple answer, in his room. She glanced to the side, where, she had learned, the kings personal chambers were. She couldn't see much, but from what Merle had told her she was already in them. The king had a vast number of rooms towards the back of the castle, most of which were guest rooms for friends of the royal family.   
She stared out at the stars and, giving herself something to do, began placing the constellations she knew in the night sky, her watch said it was only ten at night, Earth time.


	6. The two of us, as one

Dragon Burn   
By Amanda Wardropper   
This chapter is a 15. I'm warning you, if you are under 15 years old, it's your own falt if your fragile minds are corrupted. Don't say I didn't warn you ...........   
The two of us, as one.   
Chapter 6 - Castle of New Fanailia, Lake Fanderal   
She stood at the balcony for a few minutes before she heard a knock at her chamber door. "Who is it?"   
"Van. Can I come in?" He opened the door slightly and poked his head through. When he saw Hitomi on the balcony he closed the door behind him and walked across the room, out to where she stood. When he got there he set the tray he was carrying on the table, "I brought some Fanailian Vintage for us, I thought you might like to celebrate." He placed the bottle and glasses down on the table, then rested his arms on the surround.   
"Why?"   
He smiled, "When your sixteen on Gaea, you're allowed to drink wines and champagne."   
She noticed that he had a small bandage, tied in a knot, around the top of his right arm. "What happened?"   
He stared down at the bandage and said, "Oh, it's nothing, it's just a small cut from a meluf claw." He looked in the direction of Hitomi's re-nued gaze, "What are you doing?"   
"I'm trying to place the constellations I know in the sky."   
"Conster .... what?"   
"Constellations, there!" She pointed to a set of stars, "Those three stars, up there, are called Orion's belt, on Earth." She lowered her head and arm.   
"Oh!" He said, fascinated by the white beads of light in the sky, "It never occurred to me to name them." She giggled and he turned towards her, he smiled, realizing the differences between their worlds. "Do you miss your home?" He asked.   
There was a slight pause before she answered, "Sort of, but when I'm home I miss Gaea ... It's a vicious circle." She turned around and leaned her back against the balcony surround, placing her hands either side for support.   
After a moments consideration he stood up straight and said, "I got an idea. You wanna come?" He didn't like to see her in anguish.   
He summoned Escaflowne and looked around for it until it came to him. He beckoned her to step on first as it hovered close to the balcony. She did so. Van jumped in after her and placed his sword sheath to one side. He took control of the gear stick and pulled Escaflowne back so he could glide out swiftly. They flew by farmland until they came to, seemingly, endless forest. He looked behind him, to her, and grinned, menacingly. He turned back and reared Escaflowne. He let it nose dive towards the forest, "Van, quit it!" She cried as they plummeted towards the floor.   
"What? Can't hear you." He bluffed. Just as all seemed lost Escaflowne pulled out of it's descent and skimmed the tree tops. As it gained height again, Hitomi noticed small, white birds erupting from the vegetation. They flew to all sides of the huge white Dragon. Van started laughing childishly as the birds danced in Escaflowne's wake and infront of him.   
Hitomi gasped as she looked to one side, there was a forest dragon bounding through the rows of trees. Van caught it out of the corner of his eye and swooped down. They followed it a ways, hanging just above or to the side of it. Hitomi burried her head in his shirt when the yellow, gleaming eye settled on her, and tightened her grip around his waist. The dragon started to turn right, so they turned left, heading away from the beast.   
Hitomi was breathless and speechless, she was still frozen in terror at the feeling of being scrutinized by those yellow eyes.   
They landed in a small beach cove, next to a lake. Van broke their silence and whispered in her ear, "Close your eyes and stay there." She closed her   
eyes and could hear Van jump out of Escaflowne. "It's OK," he added, "here," he held out his hand, "hold onto my hand, I'll guide you." She fumbled for it and when she found it he guided her down Escaflowne's forearm, where he stood, and onto the ground. He landed on the grass beside her and placed his hands on her shoulders, "Keep them closed." He pushed her slowly foreward in the direction of the lake. "OK, you can open them."   
She opened her eyes and was greeted by a moonlit lake, the two moons hanging loosly in the sky, they seemed bigger to her. As her eyes got accustomed to the darkness she could make out small, sparkling lizards of all colours which darted about the lake spinning on their tiny wings. She gasped, "What are they?"   
"They're Fire-flits."   
"They look like tiny dragons."   
"Yes." The fire-flits heard their conversation and darted towards them. Van stepped back and exclaimed, "They've never done this before when I've been here!" They swerved and dived around Hitomi, letting out piecing screams in agitation.   
Van ran back towards her but five fire-flits came up behind him and pushed him. He fell onto Hitomi and the two of them went crashing into the ice cold water of the lake. They sat, knee deep, in the icy cold. Hitomi smiled and lifted her arm up, splashing Van in the face. He powted as the water dripped off his face. Then he lifted both arms, sending a wave along with the water droplets, crashing into her. They started laughing and launching gallons of water at each other. Their laughter scared the flits away into the forest night.   
After a short while they plodged back to the beach and Van made a small fire. He removed his shirt, shoes and socks and placed them near the fire to dry off.   
Hitomi placed her blazer, shoes and socks beside Van's. She knelt down on the other side of the fire to get dry. Van came and sat down next to her, his hair was dripping and he brushed away the forelock that covered his eyes.   
"This was where I came to practice my sword fighting and running after you left." He said finally, after they both caught their breath.   
"Your running?" She asked, bewildered.   
"Yeah, every three years or so Gaea holds an athletic compitition. I didn't enter last time but, I want to, this time." He looked up into her eyes, the gateway to an endless source of intelligence and humour, and smiled, mischieviously. He brushed away her wet fringe and leaned forward to kiss her, he placed his hands either side of her to trap her, but she could push him away easily if she wanted to resist. She didn't and he moved even closer so their bodies met. He bit her lower lip, brushing his against hers. This extracted a groan of pleasure from her throat. His sweet breath caressed her mouth as he whispered her name. She'd never felt this way about anybody before, until he came along and changed her world. She craved him so much, she lived for his every breath and his every touch on her skin. She smiled at the sensation when he kissed the nape of her neck, it tickled. He leaned heavier, pushing his wieght down on her and pinned her to the ground.   
The spark ignited into a burning blaze of passion, swallowing anything it met into an endless void. The kiss met fire and ice in his soul, striking them with fury so intense it threatened to overwhelm him. A storm, raging on the horizon. It's lightning claiming all around it, a built up fury, unleashed in bolts of bright lights and tremendous earthquakes.   
  
  
They shared a full night of endless desire. I never want to let you go, he thought. Finally he lost his battle against the fire and ice. He allowed his body to be swallowed into the void and was, at last, overcome by a mixture of heat derived from their bodies and the ripping pain that surged through him, whenever his wings were brought out. The white plumage burst out with vengeance, engulfing the black void with light. However, it wasn't long before the shadows ventured back and won against the light, bringing it into the void aswell.


	7. The Hidden Angel

Destiny's Gift  
By Amanda Wardropper  
The hidden angel.  
Chapter 7 - Lake Fanderal, castle of New Fanailia, Fanailia forest.  
  
It was the break of dawn when Hitomi was woken up by the sound of rustling in a nearby hedge row and Van's agitated grunts as he tried to pull on his, still wet, trousers. "Whoooooooah!" She winced as she heard a thud. Van had trodden on a patch of leaves and slipped on it.  
"Van? What happened?" She said, in a drowsy voice.  
Van's head emerged from under the hedge and he said, "Oh! You're awake." His head disappeared again and Hitomi propped herself up on one elbow. She began fastening her shirt buttons. She fastened her shoes and grabbed her blazer, it wasn't as wet as she thought.  
Van strode around the hedge corner, clenching at the bruise on his arm. He stamped out the cooling embers and then held his hand out for Hitomi. "Come on, we better get back to the castle before they notice we're gone." He pulled her up gently, ran and jumped into Escaflowne. He lifted her up and started their journey home.  
Their flight home was a quiet one with neither of them making an attempt to talk or make eye contact.  
Van had Escaflowne hover outside Hitomi's room, he stood up to give her a hand down onto the balcony. When she'd stood he leaned forward to kiss her again. She pushed him away.  
"Huh!?!"  
"I'm sorry Van." She said in a calm voice and skipped onto the balcony. She walked into the room, closing the door behind her.  
  
Later that day.  
It was late afternoon when Hitomi found some time to herself. She had been busy helping out in the main hall repairing damage. She decided to use her time wisely and go for an energetic run. She got out of her, now grubby, uniform, I'll have to get that washed, she thought and got changed into her shorts and, seen as it was a warm afternoon, her backless top, she could feel the gentle breeze on her skin as she ran through the beautiful gardens of New Fanailia.  
After her run she stopped off at the fountain to drink. It was then that she realized that she had avoided Van all day, she was pleased because it gave her time to vent her anger at him, I'm way too young for this, she thought.  
  
Van had been busy all day with reports on damage repair and a Lord Holder   
meeting. They were saying that he must find a queen and that young lady he was dancing with, last night, might be queen material. He didn't want to be reminded of Hitomi right now. Was it the right time, or should I have waited, he wondered as he made his way through the corridor. It seemed ages before he reached the end of the fire lit walk way. He needed to be outside in the fresh air, near the water fountain.  
He walked round the corner and spotted a figure drinking from the fountain. On further inspection he came to the conclusion that it was Hitomi. He hadn't seen her all day and got the feeling that she was avoiding him.  
  
Hitomi heard a noise behind her. It was a sword sheath. She then heard a soft voice say, "Hitomi, is that you?" It was Van, so much for me avoiding him, she thought, soarly. She slowly straightened up in acknowledgment. Van walked up behind her. He reached his hand out to caress her, but drew it back swiftly and sighed. "I'm sorry about last night."  
He moved his hand from behind her and placed it in the air infront of her face. It was clasped, so something was in it. She drew her hand under his and he placed an item in it. He clasped it shut. He held her hand for a short moment and took it back unwillingly. He then turned on his feet and ran back to the walk way, he disappeared. His footsteps could be heard echoing through the courtyard.  
Hitomi opened her hand and her eyes widened, the green colouring sparkling like jewels. There, in the palm of her hand, lay a lush, red flower, much like an Earth rose, with speckles of dew on it as a light rain had fallen earlier that day. She blinked away the tears that formed in her eyes, I can't stay mad at him, I love him. She turned her head to where Van had stood and smiled, she turned round again and could make out a green light on the horizon. She stepped back, clenching the flower, her vision had told her of a green dragon destroying Escaflowne and Van in a powerful blast of flame. "No!!" She turned and ran back the way Van had went, hoping to find him.  
She ended up at the door to Escaflowne's hanger, she could hear the grinding of it's gears. Van!!! She opened the door and stood, silhouetted, in the entrance just as Escaflowne was winging it's way out of the hanger.  
Van was so wrapped up in the report he'd just received that he didn't notice Hitomi.  
She sprinted back through the corridors. There has to be something I can do ... or else he'll ... A tear trickled down her cheek.  
"Hitomi!" She nearly charged into Merle, "What's wrong?"  
"It's Van."  
  
"Lord Van! What's going to happen to him?"  
"No time to explain, come on." They picked up the pace again.  
"Merle, is that you?"  
"Jason! He'll help us."  
"What do you mean?" He said.  
"You gotta help us, Jason. Something bad is going to happen to Lord Van." Hitomi nodded in agreement.  
"What's going to happen to Van?"  
"He's going to die if we don't help him." Hitomi replied. Merle gasped.  
"Come on then, what are you waiting for, lets get to the roof." Jason said sharply.  
They dashed up to the roof and were shocked by the sight that was unfolding before them. There, in the distance, was a huge green fire, in the shape of a dragon, flying just above an army of Zaibech guymelifs, which had already been met by Fanailia's melif units.  
"Where's Lord Van, Hitomi?" Merle screamed.  
Hitomi concentrated on Van and the pendant. "He's fighting the dragon!" She exclaimed. "Jason, what should we do?"   
He brushed away his blonde forelock, an action which reminded her of Van, in deep thought and answered, "I don't normally do this, but seen as a lady as fair as you, Hitomi, asked me." He paused and smiled at her.  
He summoned his guymelif, Kayleeth. It rose up to the roof level and he motioned for the two girls to climb aboard. "Lets go save Van!" He shouted, when they were aboard. Red Kayleeth reared and backed away from the roof.  
It didn't take long to get a glimpse of Van's Escaflowne. "Hang on, I'm taking us in!" Jason exclaimed. His red Kayleeth seemed to speed up rapidly but the trio were jerked back suddenly when Kayleeth reared in terror. The two girls let out a panic stricken scream as they saw the enormous, green dragon shoot a powerful blast of flame which caught Escaflowne's left wing full on, burning it to cinders and causing the white dragon to fall awkwardly to the forest floor.  
"Van!" The three of them shouted in unison. Kayleeth nose dived to catch the guymelif before it hit the ground, but they missed and made an emergency landing not far from where Van's Escaflowne had fallen.  
They rushed to the scene. Van's body lay limp on the floor where he had been thrown ruthlessly off of his mount. "No." Hitomi whispered to herself. She ran down the hillock to Van's side and put her hand on his shoulder, "Oh, Van, wake up, Van!" Tears stung her eyes and it seemed like the darkening sky turned totally black. A tear fell from her cheek and landed on his arm. He let out a  
heavy groan and turned onto his back, clenching his side. He winced at the pain but he managed to recognize Hitomi's concerned face. "Hitomi?" He said, still not quite believing that she was here. "I thought for sure you wouldn't ... not after .." She removed his hand from his injury and placed hers on it. He tensed up, her hand was soft but cold. She smiled and said, "Don't be silly Van, I love you and I don't know what I would do if anything happened to you." He looked into her eyes, they were still filled with tears from the shock. He smiled back at her and placed her free hand in his, ignoring the pain, he gave it a weak squeeze before Merle's voice interrupted. "Lord Van!" She shouted in jubilation. They looked round and saw Merle and Jason running towards them. They stopped suddenly and Merle cried, "Watch out!" Van and Hitomi turned their heads to be confronted by a snout and a hollow eye. It was the green dragon and it was lifting up it's head to charge a flame.  
Before she knew what she was doing, Hitomi stepped over Van, who was staring after her. She stood infront of him, arms wide spread and shouted up to the dragon, "I won't let you take him!" To this the dragon lowered it's head and emitted a strong burst of fire, headed straight for Hitomi. She stuck her chest out to cushion the blow and arched her back. She felt a strange tingling sensation in her shoulder blades, then a sharp pain raged through her back, she screamed until she had to take a deep breath, which caused more pain, then, suddenly, she saw feathers float past her in the wind current as she grew, pure white angel wings.  
While the others watched on in surprise, Van picked himself up and spread his own wings wearily. He launched himself infront of her, he clasped her waist, drawing her closer, it was no use now to try and push them away, he'd have to bare the brunt of the flame, he braced himself and tightened his grip around Hitomi. She realized what was happening and pushed her upper body to his to help brace both of them from the charging flames.  
Their shared intimacy and proximity had built a new, stronger bond between them which was reflected in the ruby in Hitomi's short pocket. The gem began to glow a deep red and, all of a sudden, began emitting beams of red light which formed a pillar of light around the two angels.  
Merle and Jason watched on in horror as the green flames swallowed Van and Hitomi's bodies.  
Inside the pillar of light the two found that they were untouched by the fire seething past them, but their embrace did not slacken, they still held each other closely. When the flames had past, the pillar of light morphed into a ray which struck the green dragon on the snout. It let out a shriek and swiftly retreated through the forest. The light dimmed and the ruby returned to normal in her pocket. Hitomi became limp in Van's arms momentarily as her wings molded back into her skin.  
He stroked her cheek and smiled down at her as she looked up. She steadied him as he clung to his side, wincing at his own pain. "What happened?" He asked her, "And why ..." He was cut off when Merle and Jason came up beside them.  
"Lets get you back to the castle, Van." Jason said.  
"What about Escaflowne?" He turned to face the curled up, badly damaged heap that was his guymelif, the white dragon.  
"Don't worry my red Kayleeth can handle us all." 


	8. The Atlantian's Plea

Dragon Burn  
By Amanda Wardropper.  
The Atlantians Plea.  
Chapter 8 - Castle of New Fanialia  
  
On thier return to the castle, Jason dropped his passengers off and took the two Escaflownes back to the hangar to begin repairs on Van's white dragon.  
When they were dropped off, Merle and Hitomi steadied Van as they walked into the hall and were taken aback by what they saw infront of them. Hundreds of fighters and guymeluf pilots, some with serious injuries but most had minor ones, laid out on tables the length and breadth of the hall.  
They found a spare table, near to the exit of the vast hall, and laid Van on it, then they went to find a spare healer. They couldn't find one so they had to tend to his wounds themselves with bandages and a numbing solution. They tendered to his side first, numbing it then bandaging the whole of his torso.  
Van sat up from his daze at the sound of ear piercing screams echoeing through the corridors leading to the main hall. Merle and Hitomi turned to see what had startled him and saw a young cat boy being brought in, his face and arms badly cut.  
"Tirone!" Merle cried, in anguish. She stood up and reluctantly left Van and Hitomi to be at her own loves side.  
Van relaxed, "You'll have to sit back up." She turned her attention back to him.  
"Why?"  
"Because I have to get to your arm." He sat back up slowly and she applied the numbing salve.  
He took a deep breath and asked, "So, does this mean you're half Atlantian too?"  
"I guess, but ..." She trailed off and started a new sentence, "They felt real and they really hurt, I don't think I'm the real deal, I mean it dosen't hurt you at all."  
He smiled, knowingly, "Oh, but it does. It hurts me just as much as it hurts you, even more so, I've just learned to ignore the pain until it goes away and, besides, I've been a Draconian all my life, I've lived with it."  
"Exactly, I can't be a Draconian, I'm from Earth!"   
He shrugged and changed the subject, sensing her apprehension. "Will I still be able to fight while I'm recovering?"  
She put her hands on her hips and answered, in agitation, "Most certainly not!"  
"But..." He was surprised at her reacton. She jabbed him fiercly on the arm she had just bandaged, he winced at the dull pain it caused. "Hey!" He cried, with a snigger, she was only proving her point and smiled to take the sting out of her actions. He   
  
swotted her away playfully.  
"I don't think it could do him that much harm practicing, Hitomi." Jason had been watching them fighting and had decided to step in. They stopped and looked round to him. Hitomi gave a mock scowl, but Van had a worried frown, he wanted to know what would happen to Escaflowne. "Don't worry, Van, I've had a team set up to take care of Escaflowne, but," He pointed a finger at him, "you're going to take longer to recover and you won't be fighting in a battle until you are!"   
Van smiled, lazily, "Comes to something when your wingsecond is giving you orders."  
  
Over the next few days, Van was allowed to practice his swordfighting techniques and duelling. Jason was always there for the duelling and Hitomi always sat to one side watching, refusing to leave in the fear he might injure himself again, "Because I won't bandage it for you! I still don't think you're well enough to hold your sword straight!" She said.  
  
Hitomi walked down from her room to Van's. She knocked on the door, "Who is it?" the voice called, from within.   
"Hitomi," She answered, "Can I come in?"  
"Yeah, sure."She opened the door and walked in. He was sat at his desk, going through old records. "I'm trying to find something to explain what happened the night that dragon thing attacked." He said, as way of explanaition. "And why we were left unscathed by the flames and why it was scared away all of a sudden."  
"You mean, like this?" She handed him a scroll which he opened and read. "They were left in my room and I couldn't help but notice the ruby and other diagrams on it. I guess that was what my grandmother meant."  
He didn't hear the last part of her statement. "Hmmm, this looks familiar. Wait a minute!" He stood up and grabbed her arm, "C'mon, I got an idea." He started to race out of the room.  
"Wait, Van! Where are you taking us? You seem to have allot of ideas in that head of yours!" She pulled her arm away from his grasp, but willingly folowed him. By the way he said it, it sounded important.  
They ran down some steps to a poorly lit corridor, one light to be exact, which Van took and lit. At the far end of the corridor, Hitomi could make out a door. When they got closer she could see that it had fallen into disuse as the lock was rusted. Van unsheathed his sword, "Stand back." He gave her the torch and sliced the lock in half with one stroke. He put his sword back in it's sheath and heaved at the door. He let out a frustrated grunt as he forced the door open. Hitomi looked down into the darkness. She took a couple of steps into it so the torch could light it. "Watch out for the steps!" He called. He shook his head and smiled as she slipped on a step. He caught her effortlessly. "I told you so." He said smuggly as he helped her back up.  
They carried on until they came to another door. Oh great! I just washed this uniform and it's gonna get dirty again with all this dust! She thought. Van sliced the lock on this door and pushed it open, revealing a courtyard, illuminated by the morning sun and the sounds of birds and insects. In the centre of the courtyard stood a fountain in the shape of a dragons head. It had one red eye, the other was missing. She walked over to it and caressed it with her fingers. Van stood at the entrance, arms folded patiently.  
"What is this place?" She asked.  
"I don't know exactly, but, when I was little my brother and I used to fool around here." He walked up to her.  
She noticed that the walls of the courtyard were covered in scriptures. She walked to where, what she thought, was the beginning of the scriptures. "Unfortunatly," He continued, "I don't know what the script means, before you ask. It's written in Atlantian, of which I never learned to read. I can tell you about the diagrams, they're the same ones as on the skins I've been looking at."  
"Can I touch them?"  
He motioned for her to proceed as he stood next to the fountain, a thoughtful frown on his face as he studied the diagrams on the walls.  
She removed the pendant, from around her neck, and wrapped the chain around her fingers, leaving the pendant dangling.  
She placed her hand on the first set of scriptures and, miraculously, began translating, much to Van's astonishment. Her eyes became glazed over and she was unable to see or hear anything but the scriptures and her own voice, melting into the visions.  
"We, the Atlantians, have been exiled to this planet.  
All those who survived the exile have been cursed for our sins.  
Tne Gods have prophicied, that from now until the end of time, that 'all those born of feather, shalt forevermore be plagued by dragon wing.'  
The creatures, known to us as Dargons, have scorched our fields and killed many of our remaining people."  
Van came up behind her, listening carefully to what the walls said of his people. She took a deep breath and continued:  
"We combat them using our technology.  
But it is not enough, therefore we are running an experiment.  
We wish to create two Atlantians who can control a dragon fire spirit.  
Our first experiment brought forth a green dragon, whose master can no longer control.   
Now, we must create another to destroy our terrible mistake."  
"Thats why Fanialia is filled with dragons, it was the home of exiled Atlantians." He said in awe.  
"It's a record of an experiment." She said, puzzling over the set of diagrams on the next wall. "Look!" She shouted.  
Van ran over, "What?"  
"Thats the ruby my grandmother gave me." She reached into her pocket and pulled out the jewel, examining it closely. She looked back at the wall. "That diagram, "Two to control the one true power." Is it possible that destiny has brought us back together for one last battle?"  
"You mean, we are the Atlantians that are supposed to control this experiment?"  
"It's quite possible, I mean we are both Atlantian High-breds and we work together as a team, we proved that the first time."  
"But what if they never finished the experiment, this was thousands of years ago, Hitomi. Besides, we are Atlantian High-breds, not pure Atlantians, we don't have their power."  
"We do have their power, you already proved that, only an Atlantian can make a true blood pack with an Espano gumeluf like Escaflowne."  
"But the masters of this experiment are probably dead!"  
"If Zaibech can control this green dragon, then someone has to be able to control it's sybling. Don't you see Van, this dragon could destroy the whole of Gaea, just like Donkirks Destiny machine." She whirled around to face him, tears welling up in her eyes, "I don't want that to happen."  
He put his fists on his hips, "So you are suggesting that we bring forth our own dragon spirit." He paused, "How?"  
She turned back to the diagram, " "Only conflicting emotions, felt by the two, can generate the power needed to be concerntrated in the winged waters eyes, the strongest of both sides ...." The last words are eroded out of view." She announced, "Isn't that always the way." She said to herself, in frustration.  
"Only conflict felt by two?" there was a loud clatter outside of the walls, before he could finish his pondering. His wings burst out and before Hitomi could react he was pirched, crouching, on the top of the wall, hand on hilt of sword. He stood back up and it was then that Hitomi realized that his wings were slightly bigger and now glinted slightly in the sunlight. He glided back down to the ground, "It's just a farm wagon." He announced. 


	9. United we Stand Divided ...we Kick Butt!

Dragon Burn  
By Amanda Wardropper.  
United we stand, divided ... we kick butt.  
Chapter 9 - Castle of New Fanialia, New Fanialia gardens.  
  
The sun was setting by the time they got out of the courtyard, "Well, that settles it, we are the ones." Hitomi said.  
" "From two worlds, shall come two people and one power shall decide their fate." Yet again." He added. He was intrigued by this quote, it seemed too easy to decipher. "Come on, I'm starving, we haven't had anything to eat all day." He broke into a run, followed by Hitomi.  
A messenger interrupted their feast, in the kitchens, "Sir, Jason and Allen have been looking all over for you."  
"Oh Shards! I forgot!" He managed to say, through a mouthful of bread. "I'll be right there." He had a sudden thought, "You, take a message to the sentry on duty tonight, tell him to watch the horizon and if a gumeluf unit or a green horizon should occur, to come and get me." He prodded a finger to his chest in emphasis. "Now go!" The messenger scitted off.  
He returned to stuffing himself. Hitomi finished off what she was eating and asked, "So what's this about Jason and Allen." Her voice took on a note of excitement, "Is it Allen as in Allen?" She emphasized the last word.  
A half smile formed on his face, the whites of his teeth showing through, "Yes it's Allen as in Allen Schezar. Asturia has sent a representative of them, their offering invitations to Millerna and Dryden's re-marriage." He laughed at the last part.   
She giggled, "So they're gonna try again?"  
"Yeah." His voice turned serious, "Unfortunately, Millerna's father, King Asten, is lying on his death bed, Princess Minerva is his successor."  
"Oh, I'm sorry."  
"Allen's gonna stay for a while, Fanialia has the best Summer's whereas Asturia's are nearly always rainy. I'll take you to him if you want, he'll be wondering where I am, I'm not fulfilling my role as king." He smiled again.  
"I'd like that." It had been so long since she'd last seen him.  
His smile widened, "I might be able to set up a game of Kick-about."  
She frowned, "Huh?" He explained the basics to her. She related it to an Earth game, Football. She used to play that with her friends.  
He winked at her, "After all, all work and no play, makes Van Fanel a very boring man." It sent her into fits of laughter, to which he joined in.  
"Let me get changed then, where should I see you?"  
  
  
"Ahhh! your just in time, Van!" Jason shouted over, as Van walked into the courtyard, "We're about to have a game of Kick- about, ya wanna join?"  
"Huh? Oh! Yeah, can we wait though, we might have another player."  
"Oh, who?" Allen asked, Allen's crew were standing behind him and Tirone next to Jason.  
Van stared at Allen out of the corner of his eyes as he made his way to the group. "Two words, ... Mystic Moon."  
"Hitomi!?!" Allen gasped. "It's true that she's back?" Van nodded with a smile.  
"Is that her?" One of Allen's men asked, pointing to the torch lit entrance to the yard. A silhouetted figure stood in it.  
"Allen?" The figure asked. "Allen, is it really you?"  
Allen stepped forward, "Hitomi?" The figure broke into a run, towards him. When she reached him she hugged him tightly, he returned the hug. Van stood to one side, hands in pockets trying not to feel jealous, remembering the pain it had caused him when Allen had told him that he'd asked Hitomi to marry him, it hurt him deeply to say she didn't mean anything to him, but was overjoyed when she said no.  
"Right, now the introductions are over with, can we pick teams now?" Jason asked, impatiently.  
Allen reluctantly gave her up, "Fine, you go first, Jason."  
"Great! I pick moon girl!" He exclaimed.  
"OK, then I pick Van." Allen said.  
When the teams were picked Van and the others dumped their swords on the ground, making their team's goal. He placed the ball in the center of the court, "Ladies, first." Hitomi stood infront of him, ready to take the toss, a menacing smile on her lips. He stood and they counted to three, "Huh!?!" He exclaimed. The ball was gone, and so was Hitomi. He looked up, she was already half way down the pitch, with the ball. He regained his senses and darted after her. When he caught up to her she gave him a sideways glance, he returned her smile, he was going to pick the ball up from beneath her feet with his, but his plan was thwarted when she jerked away from him, suddenly, kicking it to Jason, who was the nearest. Fine, if thats the way she wants to play, he thought. Allen managed to snatch the ball from Jason at the last minute and passed it to Van. He looked down to check the balls pace, it was gone. "Sorry Van." Came a voice to his side.   
"Hey!" Hitomi had knocked the ball away from him. Thats it, no more Mr. nice Van! He launched himself at her, knocking her off her feet, "Allen, get the ball!" He yelled.  
"Hey, no fair, thats cheating!"  
He looked down at her, "Alls fair in Kick-about." He smiled. He got up and helped her to her feet.  
"Fine, if thats the way you want it." She answered, tartly, dusting herself off.  
Jason walked up to them and patted Hitomi on the back, "Don't worry, one goal down isn't much, we'll get the lead, he's easy to push over." He punched Van playfully on the shoulder. He winced at the dull pain from his bruise there. She smiled and drew Jason closer. She whispered in his ear, "I gotta plan, are wings allowed in kick-about?"   
He smiled, deviously, "You are truly the most devious woman I've ever met, Hitomi Kanzaki!"  
"C'mon, before he comes onto us." She ran off to join the rest of her team, Jason not far behind. "OK guys lets win this!" Van heard her shout, What a woman, he thought, to himself. He heard the sound of ripping flesh and wings spreading, wide, then something taking flight.  
This is going to be easier than I thought, everyone knows a Draconian is at his best in the sky, he thought.  
"Jason, over here!" She shouted, catching the ball on her chest and kneeing it to him.  
"Not today, Hitomi!" Van shouted as he drew his own wings and knocked the ball in midair. Slivers of his shirt glided slowly on the breeze.   
He came up behind her and grabbed her waist, restraining her, "Gaddes, score the goal, I got her!" Hitomi looked round at him in anger. The corner of his lips was raised in a half smile and he now had beads of sweat forming on his face. She beat her wings viciously, trying to shake him off.  
"Hey, I don't want a mouthful of feathers you know!" He exclaimed in surprise, he involuntarily loosened his grip. He flailed around in midair, trying to keep a hols of her.  
If I don't stop it, I'm going to hurt him. She stopped struggling. "I'll fold my wings back if you do." She reasoned. She allowed her feathers to molt and the stumps to melt into her back, wincing at the pain it caused. Van nearly let go of her, again, as the feathers brushed by him, they tickled.  
He placed her back on the ground and said quickly, "Only joking!" He flew off down the pitch before she had a chance to contradict him.  
"No fair!" She darted after him and jumped onto his back before he was too high.  
"Hey!" He said, laughing at her clumsy landing on him and pulling her up before she fell.  
She smiled mischievously at him, when he looked round at her, and said, sensually, "No fair, you cheat."  
"You're not so fair either."  
"Ah, but I know I can get my own way with you, Van."  
"Oh, and how is that?"  
She leaned closer and whispered in his ear, "You forget Van, I know your one weakness."  
"And what's that?"  
"You can't stand your feathers being rubbed the wrong way." She said simply.  
He inhaled sharply as he caught onto her meaning, "You wouldn't dare, not with everybody here."  
"Oh wouldn't I?" She poised her hands to show him that she wasn't kidding. They both smiled at each other.  
"Okay, I give up!" He finally said. He dropped her on the ground and landed next to her, drawing his wings back. They both took off at the same time to go for the ball, but it was Van, this time, who got to it first.  
The game finished six - five to Van and Allen's team and after everyone had picked up their swords, they lit a large fire in the middle of the pitch.  
They talked long into the night and told ghost and horror stories. Hitomi was alot better at telling stories, hers were Mystic Moon stories, which made her audience quiver in their boots. Jason had teased Van saying, "The Great King of Fanialia, the Draconian that brought Donkirk to his knees, is afraid of an iddy-biddy ghost story, it makes me cry out in laughter." He did.  
Then Tirone asked, "Hitomi, can we hear your version of Zaibech's defeat? We've heard Van and Allen's, but they probably exaggerated."  
So Hitomi told them of how she first came to Gaea and how she had assisted Van and Allen to defeat Donkirk and his destiny changing machine. Of course Van HAD to add the fact that she had slapped him in Escaflowne's hangar back in Palace, Asturia's capital. To which they all cheered.  
Allen, at last asked, "So how did you get back to Gaea, Hitomi?"  
"I was called."  
"Called?"  
"Yes, Van called me."  
He frowned, "How?"  
She smiled, "He just ... called me." She turned to Van, sitting beside her.  
"She's here to help save Gaea ... again." Van answered.  
Jason took the chance to ask, "So this is the same Mystic Moon girl that you spent a whole year trying to get over?"  
Van took her hand in his and stared into her emerald eyes, "Sure is, but I'm useless at trying." He smiled at her, she laid her head on his chest, taking in the aromas of drying sweat and masculinity. She didn't want to be with anyone else. There wasn't much point in hiding his feelings, the castle had watched him trying desperatly to get over her, the whole castle knew, thanks to Merle, so what use was it trying to hide what was already known so well?  
"Oh, Young Luuuuve." Jason drolled, "Can the romantics, will ya! I'm goin' to sleep." He tossed over onto the ground. It was such a humid night they decided to camp out.  
  
Most of the gang had already drifted off into sleep but Van, Hitomi and Allen remained chatting. Very soon Hitomi fell asleep, resting her head on the front of his shoulder, as a pillow. When the two of them finally decided to hit the hay Van didn't want to risk waking Hitomi, so he just lay back against the trunk of a tree and fell asleep with her in his arms.  
  
Van was stood in darkness. A loud cry startled him and found that his feet were rooted to the ground. He reached for his sword as grey, whispy figures came at him, howling and wailing. He sliced through them, making them wail before   
disintegrating, as soon as one set was finished another, even larger, came at him. "What do you want with me?" He growled. They circled closer to him as he   
became exhausted until he was trapped. He was suffocating fast, he shouted in pain, but no sound escaped his lips. He found his wings were of no use, he couldn't bring them out. The whites of his eyes rolled in terror as his fear gripped him tighter. He couldn't understand any of this. Then he saw a bright, white light, pure as any Atlantians wings, in the darkness and heard a voice, as sweet as a sunrise, calling him. He thought at first he was going to die, he couldn't breath at all now and the crushing pain of the grey mist around him made it hard to think straight.  
All of a sudden the world came crashing down on him and he woke up, gasping for air.  
"Van! Van! Are you alright? Van, wake up, Van!"  
He caught his breath and sighed deeply in relief, it was only a bad dream. Hitomi was sitting beside him, her hands on his back and chest, holding him upright so he could breath. "You were crying my name." She said, with a worried frown.  
He looked at her reassuringly and the corner of her lips formed a half smile, "Whats the matter, the king who defeated Donkirk can't even handle a little Mystic Moon ghost story?"  
"Oh, don't you start!" He answered, putting his head in his hands. After a moment he lifted it again and looked around, "Where is everyone?"  
"Probably left us to do their everyday jobs." She looked at him out of the corner of her eyes, "Not everyone can lay back like the king and the girl from another planet, they gotta keep the castle going."  
"Let sleeping Draconians lie."He said looking up at her from under his brow, she was smiling.  
I never realized how much I feel at home here, with him, she thought.  
They heard voices coming from the castle and he asked her, "Do you play an   
instrument?"  
  
"Yes, I play electric guitar."  
"Whats that?"  
"Hmmm, you don't have that sortta stuff, do you? Do you have classical guitar?"  
He nodded, "Well it's a little like that."  
He stood up and offered her his hand, she took it and he helped her up, "Then you'll like today." He said, with a grin of pure mallice, he added, "But first we gotta help out." 


	10. Hidden Talents

Dragon Burn  
By Amanda Wardropper  
Hidden Talents  
Chapter 10 - New Fanialia gathering, Hitomi's Grandmothers, New Fanialia castle.  
  
It was around eleven in the morning, Earth time, when Van found Hitomi again, helping out in the outdoor kitchens, making berry pies.  
"Everything is almost finished, Hitomi, then the gather can begin!" He shouted over to her. She was stood at one of the huge ovens, taking out a tray of berry pies. She took the tray over to the tables and placed it down to cool, then walked back to where he stood, behind the barriers of tables.  
"Expecting a big rush?" He asked, looking down at the table he was leaning on.  
"The other cooks say so." She answered with a coy grin.  
"I'm going to meet Jason and the others in a minute, are you coming, or are you too busy?"  
"I'm almost done." She assured, looking over her shoulder to the ovens and cooling pies. She turned back to him and asked, "By the way, what exactly is a gathering here?"  
He sighed, "Don't tell me the Mystic Moon dosen't have gatherings! People come from all over Gaea to take part in a country's gather! They come to set up stalls for trade and to take part in the racing and other events. The highlight of a country's gather is always the dancing, it's held all through the night, the music is for all ages, they even have compititions for the more energetic dances." He paused in thought, "Of course, Fanialia's are always the best!"  
"You really think allot about your country, don't you?" She said, wryly.  
He only smiled and came back at her with, "Say, I hope we are going to be graced with a Mystic Moon song on the dance square tonight."  
"What do you mean!"  
"I mean you singing or one of your own manuscripts."  
"But I can't ... I mean, they're only silly little tunes, nothing big ... And there's so many people here!" She blurted out.  
"Oh, come on, Hitomi! I hardly think a little crowd is that daunting to you!"  
"But all my stuff is at home! Unless you want me to go back and get it?" She added sarcastically.  
"Oh please, Hitomi, I'd like to hear some music from your planet and I'm sure Fanialia would too." He pleaded.  
  
He gave, what she thought, was a Puppy dog look and unwillingly subsided. A part of her really wanted to do this, it had been her dream to have her songs performed infront of an audience, then again, a part of her didn't.  
"OK." She sighed, "But on one condition."  
He leaned forward on his forearms, "Name it." He whispered.  
She put a fist on her hip and pointed to his chest, "The king of Fanialia is coming with me and is going to make a fool of himself aswell." She smiled menacingly.  
"Fine, I'm already doing a spot, but I guess I could do a second. You wanna go get your stuff now?"  
"You mean you KNOW how!?!" She exclaimed, drawing herself upright.  
"Of course," He nodded, "You don't just ignore what a person says when they're in a fever." She looked gobsmacked. "C'mon, I'll take you on Escaflowne."  
She smirked, "Obviously, you don't listen hard enough, I don't need Escaflowne, besides, I don't think the neighbourhood would appreciate a forty foot, steel dragon flying over their roof tops." She stopped him before he could protest, "It might be normal here, but where I come from you'd have the army onto you, thinking you're some sort of Godzilla creature."  
He frowned in puzzlement then recovered his composure and said, "Well, as long as your back before sunset, when the dance square becomes the centre of   
attention." He added, "Knowing Allen, he'll want the first dance with you." He looked down at his boots.  
"Don't worry, Van," She lowered her voice, "I'll save the first dance for you." His head jerked back up with a boyish smile to it, "But only one!" The smile faded, but returned when she started laughing.  
The kitchens were deserted, except for a couple of women, coming to take the pies to the stalls to sell. "I got a spare moment now." She turned to walk and looked back, "Are you coming?"  
"If I can have one of those Berry pies, I will." He picked one up and took a bite out of it to prove his point.  
"They're hot." She said, offhandedly, as she started to walk away.  
They are like! Van thought.  
He caught up to her gasping for cool air and fanning his mouth with his hands.  
"I told you so." She paused and stopped walking, "This will do, it's out of the way." She thought a moment longer, "I hope this works."  
Van took another bite out of the cooling pie, it was bearable.  
"OK, lets give it a shot." She finally said. She closed her eyes and placed her hands on top of each other, on her chest. He polished off the rest of the desert. "You're not going to just stand there, are you? A little help here?"  
"Oh! Sorry, Hitomi, great pie!"  
She opened one eye and giggled, "C'mon, this is serious!"  
"Alright! Alright!" His laughter faded and he walked over to her. He came up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders, "What do I do?"  
"Just concerntrate." They both shut their eyes, tight. Take us to my grandmother's house, was the silent command in Hitomi's minds eye.  
She could feel the cool breeze, but dared not open her eyes to see if it had worked.  
"Hitomi? ... Hitomi, where are we?" She heard him ask, she opened her eyes to look around. He'd stepped back and was looking, frantically, around.  
"We're here ... my grandmother's."  
The back door opened and a figure stepped out, holding a pan, ready to attack the intruder. "Who's there?"  
"Grandmother?" Hitomi whispered.  
The figure lowered the pan, "Hitomi, is that you?" She nodded and ran towards the door. "What are you doing here? I thought you were ..." She noticed Van standing in the middle of the garden, looking around, this was all so new to him. He looked like a duck out of water.  
Hitomi turned her head to him, "Grandmother, this is Van Fanel." His attention was drawn back to the door.  
"Oh, so this is Van!"  
He smiled politely and bowed from the waist, "It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am." Hitomi had to stiffle a giggle.  
"Well come in and I'll put some tea on!"  
"We're not staying long, grandmother, I just need to pick up some things."  
Her grandmother led the way in, she leaned over to Hitomi and said, "I hope you weren't planning on giving him a tour around town, not with a sword hanging off his hip."  
"Believe me grandmother, there would have been stranger things, that would make a sword look like an everyday accessory." She thought of Escaflowne flying above the sky scrappers here, or even a guymeluf plowing it's way through the streets. She raised a hand to her mouth to cut off the laugh that threatened to burst out.  
Van followed a couple of paces behind, looking around in awe. So many new things to take in and ponder on.  
Hitomi started up the stairs to her music "slash" bedroom.  
"So, Van. Hitomi has told me allot about you."  
"She has? Hey! How come I can understand you, and you, me?" He exclaimed.  
"Good question, even I don't know. Maybe it's got something to do with the   
pendant."  
"Yeah, maybe."  
Hitomi called down to him, from the landing. "Van, could you gimme a hand up here, please?"  
"Alright, I'm coming!" He nodded to her grandmother before heading for the stairs.  
"Hmmm, strange kid. Then again, he is from Gaea." Hitomi's grandmother said to herself, as she watched him bound up the stairs, two at a time.  
  
"Hitomi, which one are you in?" He asked. He was faced with five doors on the landing. One opened.  
"This one." Came Hitomi's voice, from within.  
He walked in and give a low whistle, "Now thats what I call a drum kit." He blushed, as if he had said something wrong.  
"You have drums?" She asked in surprise.  
"Oh yeah. Only ours are made of wood," He stroked the polished surface of the drum kit with his hand, "yours are made out of metal."  
She nodded and reached for the guitar, in the far corner of the small room.  
Shelves were covered with notations and books of all kinds. The corners of the room were occupied by the two instruments and piles of manuscript paper,   
untouched.  
"This is an electric guitar." She held it out for him to see. "I got batteries for it here, somewhere." She put the instrument down and began shuffling through piles of script on the shelves.  
He flicked through them as she handed him some, "You write your own music, then?"  
"Yes. Ah! Here they are!" She swiped the batteries off the shelf and jammed them into the guitar, "They should be fully charged."  
"Would you play one for me?"  
"What?" She looked up from checking the instrument.  
"A song, would you play one for me?"  
"What, now? Well ... I ..."  
"If you can't play infront of me, how are you going to manage at a gather?"  
"This is why I didn't want to, I've never played any of my own music to anyone before."  
"Nows your chance."  
She regarded him for a moment and finally hung the guitar strap around her shoulder and neck.  
"I'm gonna regret this," She muttered, "Take a seat." She gestured towards the drum kit. He sat down, while she sorted through the manuscript.  
"This'll do." She sat down on the bed and turned the guitar on. She adjusted the switches and buttons before striking some cords to check the tuning.  
She began with the first five chords, before adding the melody.  
The harmony and the melody, together, formed a haunting chill inside the little room. Each note hung in the air , before dying when the next note was struck.  
After a long introduction, the words began, fitting into place with every breath and hanging in the air, telling a ballad.  
""He is the Seeker,  
The bringer of Death, and shalt so name himself.""  
Van listened in silent awe as she ran through each verse word and note perfect.  
""The weilder of the Sword of Truth,  
and only seeks that which is true.  
To his mind, He kills in hate,  
But to his heart, He forgives those with love,  
And thus the blade shall turn white.""  
The song told of a man, named as the Seeker as his birth right. Of how he   
overcame great magic to be with his love, and how she had to sacrifice all that she held dear, and start a war which could only end in death.  
The final note faded away, along with the Seekers suicide at his dead lovers body, on the battle field.  
Van walked over and sat beside her, "That was beautiful," He whispered, "Hitomi, if you were to ..."  
"No," She cut him off, "that's a special song, I don't sing it for anyone else." She looked away from him. He caught her chin on his finger and drew her back to face him.  
"You don't have to, if any of your other songs are as good as that one." He gave her a winning smile.  
"I hate you, Van Fanel." She said with a sly grin.  
She stood up and gathered her manuscripts and guitar. She sighed, heavily, "I hope your musicians are good enough to play these."  
"Hitomi! I'm hurt," He placed a hand on his chest as he stood up abruptly, " are you saying that I can't play the drums good enough for you!?!" She whirled round to face him, a surprised look on her face. He grinned at her reaction and held his arms out infront of him, pleading to her, "Oh come on!! I'm a sixteen turns old, what do you expect me to do in my spare time!?!"  
"I guess ... I didn't realized how much Gaea is like Earth."  
"What do you mean by that?"  
"All boys are the same." She smiled mischeviously, "They're all, either, football mad or music mad."  
"Oh? And what am I?"  
Her smile widened, "Both!"  
He powted, but soon broke into a one sided grin, "C'mon, if we go now, we'll be in time for the start."  
  
They raced downstairs. Hitomi gave her grandmother a kiss goodbye and joined him outside to call forth the pillar of light.  
  
It was early afternoon when they arrived back in Fanailia. They hid the guitar and music on the outdoor stage, "I'll get the men to start practicing their parts." Van said.  
They caught sight of Tirone, Jason, Allen and his crew and decided to go join them.  
"Hitomi! Hitomi!" Merle cried, she skidded to a halt infront of her. "What are you doing, I've been looking all over for you. Come on, we need to get a move on!"  
"Merle, what's the matter?"  
"Nothing, just hurry, we haven't got much time." She dragged Hitomi off to one side, "I've had the weavers, weave us up something special." She cast a shy glance to Tirone, the white catboy, who was looking in the opposite direction.  
Hitomi giggled, "You like him, don't you?"  
Merlle swirved round to her, "I so don't!"  
"You so do!" They both smiled  
  
"What are they whispering about?" Van asked Jason.  
"I don't have the slightest, but you better go get changed." He looked at his friend.  
"You too, you reek!" They both laughed as they bid Allen and crew farewell and walked off to the castle.  
Hitomi and Merle had done the same.  
  
"So when is the racing starting?" Gaddes asked.  
"Soon." Van replied. They were standing near to the stalls and the race course. "Which one are you backing?" Van asked.  
"Thunder Song, you?"  
"Emerald Beauty. I hear shes getting good stakes on the stalls."  
"I'm too young to bet. By one turn." Tirone growled.  
"Aww don't worry old friend, you'll get your chance." Jason scoffed.  
Celena Schezar had arrived earlier that day and asked, "I heard Hitomi was around? Where is she and Merle?"  
Van turned to her, "I don't know, they said they wouldn't be long, women, chaaa!"  
Jason pulled her to one side, "What are you doing here?"  
"Jason, I'm here with my brother."  
"I know but why did you come, you know I'm here."  
"Why, I'm here to see you," She patted his cheek and whispered, "Dragonslayer."  
Jason growled at her, "I told you, I'm not in Zaibech."  
"Jason, I pitty you, you can't deny your roots."  
"You would say that, you weren't born into Zaibech, you were kidnapped into it."  
"Jason, don't hold a grudge for me, I knew your mother, she was a kind and   
generous women."  
"Yeah, until she slit your throat. Look, just forget it, I want to enjoy my first   
summer here and you better not spoil it." He cautioned, "I'm no longer who you knew me as, I'm Jason Dende, knight Arkayl, not Jason Dende, the Dragonslayer."  
"OK, but either way you look at it, your Jason Dende, son of Anima and Carn Dende. Two of the best generals in the Zaibech army."  
"I thought you wanted to leave all of that behind."  
She shrugged, "I did, but whether you like it or not, I'm still Dilandu."  
Jason glowered at her, turned and marched away, he wanted to forget his roots and past, that's why he'd came to Fanailia. 


	11. Trails and Torture

Dragon Burn  
By Amanda Wardropper  
Trails and Tortures.  
Chapter 11 - Fanailia Gather.  
  
"Hey, Jason, what's up?" Tirone asked, when Jason returned.  
"Nothing, don't worry yourself." He snapped. Van looked to his friend, the look he got back said it all. Jason was finding it hard to start a new life, away from Zaibeche, wherever he went, his past always caught up with him, one way or another.  
He spoke to Jason out of earshot, "You're a secondwing comander, Jason, and a   
jr knight Arkayl, one of the youngest to rise to the rank, you are no longer a Dragon slayer, Heck, you ride a dragon for Gods sake!"  
Jason forced a smile, "Yeah, but it dosen't rub out my past, does it Van?"  
"I know it's difficult, but you managed to build a new life for yourself here in Fanailia."  
"An incomplete one at that." Jason added, "Van, I'm outta my depth here, I'm of Zaibeche blood, I can't change that, I don't belong here. I should be dead, along with all the other Dragonslayers."  
Van's voice took on an edge of warning, "Jason, you weren't even a Dragonslayer, and the crimes of the father are not always past on to the son."  
Before they could continue their talk they heard voices in the distance, "Lord Vaaaaaan!!!!" He turned around to see Merle and Hitomi walking over to their small group.  
They came to a halt infront of them.  
  
Merle was dressed in a red, flowing dress, which cascaded down to the floor. It had a halter neck style to the top half of it and pink satin glooves which reached up to her elbows. Hitomi, on the other hand, was dressed in a fine, deep green satin dress, which, again, reached the floor, but trailed slightly, unlike Merle's. Again her glooves reached her elbows, but were cut off by a sash that trailed from just below one shoulder to the other. Her gentle eyes swept the group and finally rested on him, the dress seemed to make them sparkle even more than he knew they could. Emerald against emerald was an entoxicating mix.  
"Woah!" She never ceases to amaze me, he thought.  
Jason gave a low whistle, and seeing his opened-jaw friend frozen to the spot, descretely, elbowed him in the ribs. He looked away and said, "She got you, hook, line and sinker, my old friend."  
Van was rubbing his ribs frantically and answered, sarcastically, "Ouch!" He looked over to Tirone and whispered to Jason, "You wanna go save our little cat boy friend over there, looks like a hook, line and sinker job aswell."   
Jason started walking over to a gaping Tirone and a beaming Merle, "That, I will."  
Van looked back to Hitomi and shrugged, he could feel his face turning red, "Hey, what can I say? I'm sixteen turns old!"  
"Tell me I look fine and I won't kick your head in." She smiled, taking the sting out of her words and offhandedly added, "You use your age as an excuse too much."  
"Hey, I'm ..." He ran his hand through his hair and grinned sheepishly, "Alright, alright you look ..."  
"Hitomi!" Van was cut off by Allen's approach. He came up to her and kissed her on the cheek, "You look beautiful."  
Van scowled. Thats what I was gonna say, He thought, sourly.  
"Hey, Van!" Gaddes called over, "The racing is about to start!"  
"Huh? Oh, coming!" He gave one last look to the 'Happy couple' catching up on news, then ran off to watch the racing.  
  
As the race wound on, he grew less and less interested in it, drifting off into his own thoughts, why now? When everthing couldn't be more perfect between them. Why did Allen have to turn up now? It wasn't that he didn't like Allen, he was a good friend and sparing partner, but he went from one girl to another. He had tried once before with Hitomi, and he always seemed to beat Van to any compliment.  
He leaned onto the railings, his chin resting on the palm of his hand.  
  
This was no good, he was just imagining things, making things seem bigger than they actually were. A year had changed him, mentally aswell as physically. Now that he had Hitomi back, he didn't want to let her go again. He was being silly, and he knew it, just try thinking of it from her point of view, she had a right to talk and socialize, and catch up with old friends. He felt happier having thought it over and realized he was being stubbon, he smiled to himself, I can't imagine how she'd love me, out of everyone else on Gaea, and the Mystic Moon.  
He was brought back to reality with a thud, when he felt somebody's hand on his back, he turned swiftly around to see who it was.  
The easing, gentle smile that he recognised so well, met him instantly. Those sparkling, jeweled emerald eyes focused onto him and the smile grew as she looked up to him.  
"I'm sorry, Van. I know how hard it must be for you, but .." He put a finger over her lips.  
"It's alright, I understand. It's me being foolish. I should know better."  
She moved his hand away with hers, "It's not, Van, it's not all your fault."  
"It is and I'm sorry," He shrugged, "I'm only sixteen turns old after all."  
She smiled even more, her eyes glinting with the intelligence and humour within.  
"Forgive me?" He asked.  
"Forgiven. Van, I wouldn't leave you for anyone, not now. You're the only one for me." She held his gaze.  
He sighed and answered, "I wouldn't have it any other way." He wrapped his arms around her waist, "You know, to me, you're more than beautiful."  
"Hmm?" Her hands gripped his forearms.  
He grinned, "You're ... angelic, you're the angel of my dreams."  
He lowered his head to kiss her. The familiar feeling spread through him, fire and ice colliding and battling, surging through his soul and erupting into a huge void, where nothing existed except Hitomi and himself. It was more than any amount of words could comprehend or describe and still do it justice.  
It went on, seemingly, forever, sinking deeper and deeper into the void, his very existance seemed to linger on the verge of euphoria. Then, as fast as it came about, it was over. Existance was brought back to the norm, awakened by the cheering, yelling, shouts, roars and applauding of the crowd around them.   
His eyes snapped open, hers following, not a second behind. Their lips parted and he stood there, motionless, mouth agape. The flame of passion flickered and   
extinguished. All he could say was, "Wow!" In a breathless whisper.  
  
Gaddes clapped him on the back and yelled, over the uproar, "Hey, Van! Haven't you been paying attention, Emerald Beauty won! How much did you bet?"  
Van stared at him in shock, "Shards! I forgot to put the bet on!"  
"You're joking, right?"  
Van was shaking his head slowly from side to side. Hitomi started giggling uncontrollably. Gaddes turned round to his men to break the bad news and Van turned back to her, "What's so funny?"  
"You, some things never change!" The giggles turned into laughter. He grinned and joined in. The laughter dissipated and she leaned against him, her head on his shoulder. He held her there as their giggles finally trailed off, "Never change, Van. Stay just the way you are."  
"Foolish, stubborn, headstrong ..." She looked up and put a finger to his lips to silence him.  
"Van, come on lets go!" Gaddes called out, "We gotta meet Allen and the others. Oh, hi, Hitomi. I thought you were with Allen?"  
"Um ... well ... I ... um. Oh boy." She could feel herself turning red.  
"Relax. Are you'se coming or not?"  
They broke away and followed the Crusader crew.  
  
"About time you got here." Jason snapped, "Did you win?"  
"What's up with you?" Van asked as he joined the group waiting for them.  
"Oh, just ignore him, Van." Tirone answered, "He's uptight because a girl slapped him and told him "Not to come anywhere near" her again." He mocked the girls voice.  
"Yeah, well all I said was I thought she looked shapely, in the dress she was wearing!"  
"No wonder!" Van put in between bouts of laughter. "Oh, by the way, you wanna get something done with that red mark on your cheek." He fell into another fit of laughter, "Don't worry." He sort to make the peace. "I know how you feel, it happened to me once, hurts don't it?"  
Hitomi stopped laughing abruptly, "Oh, Van, I told I was sorry and that it was a misunderstanding."  
He grinned at the response, "See, all I have to do is say," He continued in a hurt voice, "that it really, really hurt," His voice became normal again, "and she'll keep saying sorry until I forgive her."  
She held her hand to his face, "Yeah? I'm more likely to slap you again, even harder."  
"Or, you could always rub his wings the wrong way!" Jason said, slyly.  
Hitomi giggled, "Yeah, good idea."  
"Hey!" Van's attention was drawn away from the empty threats by the aroma wafting around them, "We've ended up next to the bakeries!!!" He grabbed Hitomi's hand and bolted, "Come on! You've never tasted food until you've tried piscus fruit creams!" He turned back to the group, "Hurry up!"  
Jason came up beside a bewildered Hitomi, "Don't worry, he'll stuff himself to bursting point on piscus fruit creams, but he never gains any weight." He added thoughtfully, "I wish I could do that, I have to work them off!"  
They stopped at the counter, "Berdine!" Van called in surprise.  
The young woman with long black hair turned around and walked towards them, "Van! How are you, I heard something about a Mystic Moon girl coming to Gaea. Is it the same one who saved Gaea?"  
"Yeah." He answered and held a hand out to Hitomi, "This is her, she's called Hitomi."  
The girl looked at Hitomi, running her gaze down the length of her, "Hitomi." She tested the name out on her tongue. She had icy cold, pale blue eyes, with the strangest of violet flecks in them. She cocked her head to one side and frowned, "I thought she was from the Mystic Moon, she doesn't look like it."  
"Berdine, people from Gaea and the Phantom moon all look the same."  
"Oh!" She apologized to Hitomi and gave them some piscus fruit delicacies on the house.  
As they walked on to the next stalls Hitomi asked, "Is she an old friend of yours, Van?"  
He nodded while he swallowed the cream. "No competition though!" He grinned at her. Then his face turned thoughtful, "I don't stand a chance with her. Em .. How shall I put this." He gave it a moments thought then finished, "She tends to go for girls."  
"Oh!" She blushed and turned her face away, lest he see the colour of it.  
"Hey Van!" Jason called over. "The dancin's about to start and guess what! ... This beautiful goddess at my side, is gonna dance wit' me!!!" He beamed at his friend.  
Van gave a low whistle, "He's gonna have his hands full!"  
She lifted her eyebrows in question as she downed a piscus fruit cream. He gave her a wry grin, "He ain't gonna be happy when he finds out, but she's one of the whores from the soldiers barracks."  
Just then they heard several foul curses coming from Jason. They giggled silently, "See what I mean?"  
  
After a while most of the group had found dancing partners, including Jason, who settled for a young maid. (Yeah I know u can probably guess who our stars are partnered to!).  
"Don't forget, you promised me one dance!"  
She wrapped her arms around his neck as he held her waist, waiting while the band tuned their instruments. She smiled, serenely, "For you, Van, I'd give any number."  
The songs started off slow and got progressively faster at gathers, with some vocalists joining in. The Fanailian gather was no different and before long the group, Allen and Celena, Gaddes and a kitchen helper, Tirone and Merle and Jason and his maid were taking on the floor to a faster number. These were meant for the young, with many energetic moves and a fast pace. Van and Hitomi were having the time of their lives, they'd taken on all the songs and ballads the band threw at the crowd, and they hadn't worked up a sweat yet.   
"This makes up for the one at Merle's birthday party." Van remarked, as they glided to a halt and he swung her high in the air. She was giggling gleefully, she didn't know how to dance and, yet, here she was, dancing. To Hitomi the dance looked like something from the fifties. With all the women wearing flowing dresses with low neck lines and long, trailing skirts. She almost expected the jive and the rock and roll divas to start singing some of the tunes of that decade. She paced forward a couple of decades and laughed, inwardly, at the vision of Van, Allen, Gaddes and Jason doing a Night fever type dance.   
All they needed now was for a Sandy and a Danny or John Trovolta lookalike to come on and do a number from Grease. She supposed that, in a way, Van and herself would fit into those roles, Van did look a LITTLE like John Trovolta. She could just about imagine them singing, You're the One That I Want. The thought struck her, like a lightning bolt through her heart, she was here, but for how long and what would happen after, would she go back to Earth and forever regret leaving Van again? Would all these times mean nothing in the end? Did that night mean anything to her? Or to him?  
  
In the shadows of the gather, shapes were lurking and watching the happy events. They'd highjacked a wagon on the way here and taken the clothes they now wore. they were some of the last Dragonslayers, now employed by a generous master who was intent on finishing off what Dilandu could not do, kill Van Slanzar de Fanel and to take a member of the palace, of much value to the master and his lady.  
  
The small group stood by the drinks stall, their feet were aching off the fast pace dances that had been played and their thirst had got the better of them. While Hitomi drank the beverage she was holding, she scanned the growing crowd. "Van, how many people actually come to a gather?"  
"Em ... I'd say a couple of thousand. Why?"  
"A couple of thousands!" She guffawed, "And you expect me to SING infront of a couple of thousand!"  
"Well, yeah!" He stared at her, "It's not that bigger crowd."  
"Van, I've never even sang infront of a crowd half that size!" She was beginning to get worried.  
He grinned at her discomfort. "Hey relax! I wouldn't be such a good friend if I weren't willing to embarrass myself aswell, you know. How'd you think I feel, and I don't have a choice."  
  
"Come on, Hitomi." Van coaxed, "You promised you would." He gave her a winning smile.  
"Van." She whined, "There's thousands."  
"Imagine there's only you out there, kay?"  
They were behind the curtains on the stage, he was trying to gear her up. She had her guitar wrapped around her shoulder and she was clenching her scripts for dear life, the poor things would turn to dust in her hands.  
She gave a slow nod. He added, "And after this, I'll let you get drunk outta ya mind." He snuck a peek at the crowd and said, under his breath, "I think I'll join you too."  
The host, out on the stage, was introducing the band members for this part. Both Jason and Van were doing parts in it, and now, Hitomi was too. The host called out Van's name last, signaling him to come on.  
"Gotta go, good luck, I won't be much help out there." He said. He gave her a short kiss on the cheek before he started out. She held his shirt, "Van, wait!" He turned back to her. She ran a hand behind his head, through his hair and kissed him solidly. She pulled away and blushed, straightening her dress. She shrugged, "You were gearing me up, why should I not gear you up? I'm only sixteen, what do you expect." She gave a coy smile, "Here!" She placed something in the palm of his hand, "Good luck."  
A little disorientated, he opened his palm. A red flower lay in it, a little crumpled but it still meant something. He looked back at her, "You kept it." The flower was the one he'd given her as an apology. He smiled lovingly, "I thought for sure you would have slung it." He turned and walked onto the stage. Before he strode onto the stage proper he shouted back to her, "I'll play real good tonight after that encouragement!"  
She was only going through with this because he asked her, she would lay down her life for him, he was only to ask in the right way.  
  
After a short while it was Hitomi's turn to face the crowd. She was on the right side of the stage, the corner nearest to where Van was.  
She was sorting out the scripts when a tap alerted her it was her turn. She whirled round and got the shock of her life when she saw Van.  
"I managed to sneak out." He said as way of explanation, "Come on, it's your turn." He said in a soothing voice.  
She made her way out infront of the vast crowd, Van behind her. In the middle of the stage he stopped her and whispered in her ear, "I know you can do this because you are my angel and angels never let their charges down. I promise you that you can have all the drink you can manage either down your throat or thrown on me as way of punishment." He added as an after thought, "I'd give you encouragement right now, if it weren't for the crowd. I hope this will surfice until you can start chucking drinks my way." He fastened the red flower in her green sash. He gave her a pat, turned and walked over to his men shouting, "Alright, lets make it a good one guys! Hitomi ain't gotta be disappointed with our playing! If she is, we have failed!" The band gave a cheer, some clapped and jeered.  
  
Out on the stage all by herself it seemed to Hitomi. She couldn't wait to start throwing drinks at him for this. Though, drink down her throat did sound appealing, she was thirsty again. She'd find something else to chuck his way, like her guitar. Right off his head. (I know I'm using songs from the movie and series. Please forgive me. I have no right to manipulate them, I just can't come up with any good ones of my own.)  
The music started to play in the background and she tried to place the number. It started off smoothly but grew wilder as Van's drums added volume. He was pretty good from what she'd heard. She recognized the tune as 'Call your name' one of her favorites. She strummed the first chord. He would pay, he really would pay. The lyrics started and she took them up note perfect. She'd never sung to an audience before, never wanted to again, but she was enjoying it. The audience stood mute and awe stricken as she ploughed her way through the song.  
"... Kimi wa boku nanda  
Boku wa kimi nanda..."  
She embellished some of the chords to make the feeling sound believable. Her voice glided up and down the different scales in the song and took on the emotions of the words.  
The song seemed to go on for eternity on the stage but the embellished rhythms of the drum kept her mind on her promise.  
"Kimi wa boku nanda  
Boku wa kimi nanda."  
The last notes trailed off. Van had sorted them in order for her, how kind, it didn't get him away from punishment though.  
The next one he threw at her was a smoother one, a one with backing singers, which were provided. 'Yubiwa' was, for her, a sensitive song, she was worried that she might not be able to pull it off. She'd written it after she returned from Gaea, a sort of release for her emotions at the time, she thought he might be doing this to her on purpose, 'Yubiwa' was mostly about the emotions she felt for him. Whatever he was trying to do to her, it wasn't going to work, he'd have a mug of ale heading straight for his face in next to no time.  
"Namidaga atorkara afuredashite,  
Saigono egaoge nijinde mienaino ..."  
She ran through the lyrics almost mechanically, she wrote them and knew each chord, each note, each word off by heart.  
"Wasurenaide hitorijanai,  
Hanaretemo te wo tsunaideiru ..."  
Where their would have been another person the backing singers filled it in, each taking a turn.  
"Nanikaga shoumetsushitemo nanikaga futabi yadotte ..."  
The higher notes she could manage but she preferred to keep in the middle of her three full octave voice.  
"Ashita saku mirai wo ikiru."  
After each song there was a heart felt applause, cheering, yelling and often the band had to beat down on a couple of instruments to settle the crowd.  
The next couple of songs she was pretty pleased with but there was one. 'What'cha gonna do' was meant to be a duet between two girls, unfortunately, the singers were breaking for a while and they brought in an old enemy to fill in the part of the second woman. Hitomi began singing after being told it had been sorted out. She realized that somebody else was singing too, behind her, she was adding a voice rhythm. She snuck a peek, it was Merle!  
"What'cha gonna do?  
What'cha gonna do?  
Agripper!"  
Merle was playing the part well, she strode up beside Hitomi and sung her heart out as best she could. The idea of the song was two girls fighting over a boy, so in true comical style they began embellishing some of the notes, acting like they were sizing each other up through song.  
"Que ne passe  
Did ya passer tic?"  
Towards the end of the song they started raising notes higher, in a battle of strength. Hitomi could hold a note longer than any other pupil in her class and raise it's pitch and lower it again. So could Merle.  
"Diable, diable, diable, je vais aimer!"  
They both held the note in one final battle between the two characters, one had to win. Finally Merle abated and Hitomi let the note trail off.  
"That was fun Hitomi!" Merle exclaimed, catching her breath.  
Before they could catch their breath Merle scitted off and the drums began anew. "Not again!" She grumbled.  
A hand touched her shoulder, another touched the other. She looked up startled as words began forming into lyrics of a favorite song.  
"Deals of passion come to deliver us  
Even the sorrow runs to silver dust ..."  
She looked to each side of her, Jason stood to one and Van to the other. The song was intended for male voices, but what were they doing?  
Van took the majority of the chorus up because, from where she was standing, she didn't think Jason could reach the notes clearly.  
"And when doves fly I think of love  
As in this world I've learned to see  
Can you believe the sight  
For us doves clear and white  
In full flower ..."  
She stared in wide eyed fascination, what a voice.  
"And we learn to love and beloved  
molding one and all for none ..."  
She stood in the middle of the two while they paced up the finale. Van's voice discretely rose as Jason began struggling with the notes.  
"And when doves fly I think of love  
As in this world I've learned to see  
Can you believe the sight   
For us doves clear and white  
In full flower.  
And we learn to love and beloved  
Molding for one and all for none  
Women who share and men with care for one love  
Where the white doves can flower."  
When he'd finished and when the band was running through the last chords he spoke to her quietly, "Me and Jason thought you might need a rest, plus I said I would embarrass myself for no extra cost." He grinned, "One more song and you can start chucking drinks at my face."  
"Oh and what song?"  
"You'll see." He looked to Jason and nodded.  
"It's all in hand Van, you can take it from the top." He winked at Hitomi, "The king don't often do this sortta stuff, but for you he'd do anythin'."  
"Jason, shut the gob!" Van blushed, "And go tell them to start the last song."  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Jason ran over to the waiting musicians.  
The first chords were strum and Hitomi groaned inwardly. 'Mystic eyes' was another song meant for a male voice. "Van nooooo!" she droled, "I didn't mean for you to embarrass yourself THIS much."  
He grinned wickedly at her as he turned to the crowd and spoke aloud. "Today, I made a promise to a very good friend," He motioned towards Hitomi, "That if she would come up here and bless us with some of her own tunes, I would willingly sing some so she wouldn't feel embarrassed out here by herself. Soooooo what say you!" He asked the crowd. They cheered him on and agreed with him. He held a hand out to the band, "Okay guys, hit it!"  
The music became louder and jumped onto the next chords of the song, "Van, no, you said no such thing." She said as he took hold of her hand. He grinned at her.  
"I'll buy the drinks, you can chuck them." He whispered before jumping into the lyrics.  
"Tsuki no mukou aoi Searchlight kasanaru  
Totsuzen mai orita Angel, sou kimi wa dare?"  
He held her at arms length, holding her hand. He was acting the song out aswell, she groaned, this was embarrassing.  
"Yakesouna kimi no mystic eyes  
Mujakina egaoo de Breaking Down  
Kimi dake ni hitomi no oku no aizu ..."  
He swung her round the stage with him, she guessed it wasn't THAT bad and began to see the funnier side of it. She laughed gleefully as she was spun around the stage proper.  
"Yamikumo ni korogatteku Day by day ..."  
He had a gifted voice, every note was as pure as the last and he could hold it, she guessed, longer than herself.  
"Nanimokamo toksu Mystic eyes  
Suikomarete iku Time and Time ..."  
He watched her as they glided, she was beaming, her lilting laugh carried through the air. He couldn't imagine himself doing this for any other girl. She was special.  
"Nee kikoeru? Futari no mirai umarekawaru oto go (OOH OOH ) ..."  
The finale of the song was approaching fast and with it the higher notes.  
"Kimi wo saratte yuku kara."  
Over his own voice he could hear the sounds of the guitar. Hitomi was embelishing the song with an energetic run through of her guitars chords.  
As the note died away it was customary for the singers to kiss, so, he thought that this must be his lucky day, three kisses. Unfortunatly, she only gave him a short one on the cheek, "Now, about the drink ...?"  
  
"You were awesome out there, Hitomi!" Allen exclaimed.  
"Awww it was nothin', it's Van you should be praising, he set it up for me." He gave a brief nod to Van.  
After the performance the group had headed for the drinks. Like Van promised, the drinks were on him, Hitomi had said that she wouldn't do this literally this time. So now they were standing next to the dance square downing the alcohilc drinks. Being sixteen or over, you could drink on Gaea.  
"Lord Van, hi! You were excellent out there tonight!" Van looked up to see, Arearnna heading towards them, she was one of the eight Lord Holder's daughter's, a spoilt brat as far as he was concerned. She wore her long, coppery hair down and a very revealing dress, no doubt a plan by her father to try and catch the bachorler king's eye. It wasn't working. She stopped infront of him, "Hey! Why haven't you got a dancing partner yet, I wouldda thought you would have been the first to be taken up."  
"I have and have already danced and performed, I'm celebrating now, Arearnna." He said flatly, he knew what was coming next, all the Lord Holder daughters had. Where it was part of his duty to dance with their daughters, Van didn't want to, he only had eyes for one woman.  
"Say ... you wanna take me for this dance, it's one of my favourites!?!" As if, any old song would do her. He sighed, but it was a duty, he'd told Hitomi that before hand, so she understood if such a thing should arise.   
"Ok." She nearly jumped for joy.  
She took him onto the dance floor to a fast paced ballad. They danced, she trying her very best to impress him, and he trying his very best to be his very worst.  
It didn't work, she was getting too close for his comfort. "Em ... Areanna?"  
"Yes." She said in a husky whisper. She looked up at him with her dark blue eyes, and put a hand to the back of his head. Before he could protest she covered his lips with hers. He tried desperatly to push her away but she was relentless.  
  
Hitomi watched on in horror as the two kissed. Finaly, she released him from her embrace and scooted off gleefully. Hitomi was gobsmacked, he just stood there looking after her, dumbfoundedly.  
  
He watched her move away into the crowd, his anger was heating. What did she think she was doing!  
He looked back to the group, all the others were turned away from the scene, downing glasses. But Hitomi was watching him.  
He ran over to her, "Hitomi, I can explai ..." She threw her brew in his face.  
"What's to explain, Van? I can't believe you!" The others turned around to see what was wrong.  
Tears began welling up in her eyes, "I thought you .... I thought you cared for me ..."  
The ale was dripping down his face as he watched her quivering jaw, "I ... I do, Hitomi."  
"Oh it looks like it aswell!" She turned and ran off.  
  
She ran swiftly on her feet, quicker than she had ever done, she wanted to die right now. She wiped away the tears that flowed down her cheek.  
  
"Hitomi, wait!" Van cried after her.  
"I'll go talk to her." Allen made to go after her. Van held an arm out infront of him and growled, "Stay outta this, Allen." He shoved Allen back and ran after her.  
  
She sat on the fountains rim and poured her heart out. How could this happen? Why? Did he care for her that little?  
"Hitomi, I ..." He came out from the path and approached her.  
"Go away, Van." She sobbed.  
"I won't unless you let me explain."  
"Explain what? That you kissed her, I thought you cared for me. Did that night mean nothing to you? You ... you ..." She used a word she had once called Allen, she intended it now as strong as ever, "Playboy!"  
He was taken aback. That night meant everything to him, he wouldn't swap that feeling for all of Gaea. "Hitomi ..." He was hurt deeply.  
"If you won't leave then I'll go!" She reasoned. She stood and drew her wings, the sash broke and drifted to the floor as she took flight. She could fly, if a little shakily, when she put her mind to it.  
As she dissapeared into the night Van scooped up the green sash and braced himself to draw his wings out.  
A voice behind him stopped him. "Let her go, Van." It was Jason, he was stood, arms folded, in the middle of the path, "I used to be a Dragonslayer, but I would never, ever, sink as low as you have."  
Van turned around, "But I didn't!" He was close to tears now. He clutched the sash in his grip. "I didn't! She came onto me! I tried to back away, to push her away!"  
Jason nodded, "I haven't finished, but as your best friend, I would believe any story you told me. Trust me Van, let her go and cool off, she hasn't seen it from the way you and I see it." He continued in a warning, "Leave it till tomorrow and find her then. Apologize to her, don't reason with her. She won't want to be told how it was, she doesn't want to live it again. You mean allot to her, I can tell. She will see reason. Until then, guard your back." 


	12. Fallen Angel

Dragon Burn  
By Amanda Wardropper  
  
Fallen angels  
Chapter 12- Castle of New Fanailia  
  
He found her, leaning against a tree, pouring her eyes out in her hands. She'd folded her wings back in and was now at a loose end.  
"Lady Hitomi?" Jason asked through the trees.  
Her head shot up and she looked towards him as he came into view. "What do you want, Jason? If you've come on, Van's behalf it won't work."  
"I haven't, I've come as a friend, on neutural ground." She considered him for a moment, "I think it was horrid of him to do what he did to you." He was trying his best to see from both point of views, in the hope he might find the solution.  
She broke down in tears again. He walked over to her and put an arm round her shoulders, "It's OK, cry all you want, I'm here." She did. No words were exchanged between the two, they weren't needed.  
After a while, Jason said, "Come on, I'll take you back to the castle and you can have all the drinks on me." The kitchens where a skeleton staff was running the place due to the gather. It was getting darker now, but the dancing would carry on through the night and well into the day.  
"No, no thanks, Jason, I kindda just want to go for a walk." She really wanted to go home now, either that or kill herself, knowing that Van didn't care for her was enough of a reason to stop living.  
"Are you sure, do you want me to come with you." He'd seen this sort of thing before, as much as he trusted her he didn't want to chance it if there was a solution.  
She smiled up at him, between the tears, "Don't worry, I'm not going to try and kill myself." She meant it but the last part she didn't, "It'll take more than Van to bring me down."  
In her eyes, he could tell she was lying the second time, a hurt like this was as serious as an injury through fighting, only this went a lot deeper. However, he didn't want it to seem like he was trying to get her to forgive Van so he decided that maybe it was better for her to be alone for a little while, "OK, but don't be too long, Allen and the otehrs will get worried."  
"Thanks." She whispered.  
  
Hitomi walked down the path, it wasn't a main one so it wasn't lit. It was a cold night and clouds were gathering beside the moons. It looked like there would be rain, she didn't care, it couldn't get any lower than this. She stopped in her tracks when she heard a lower, snarling sound from deep within a creatures throat.  
  
He stood infront of the collossal forest dragon. What was the use in living if she hated his guts. He planned on ending it here and now. He didn't care about the country he ruled, or the friends he had, all that mattered was that she hated him. With reason he thought. He clutched the whispering morning flower she had given him in his palm. In the other, he held his sword. Van stared deep into the yellow eyes of a male forest dragon. In a quick movement, he slung his sword to one side and called to the great beast, "Yo! Dragon, I'm over here, you want me? Then come on! Take me!" This was the one way he felt honorable and all clear to die, at the hands of the creature he spoke for. As pilot of the Ispano guymelif, Escaflowne, the great Dragon god of Fanailia. A tear trickled down his cheek and his voice began to quiver, "Come on, what are you waiting for? I'm here, you're hungry, so come on!"  
The dragon obediently raised it's ugly head to the sky and bellowed a challenge. Van whinced at the dull thud the sound made in his chest. This was it, live by the dragon, die by the dragon. An ancient prophecy that was handed down to each pilot of the Escaflowne. Only one would ever see it through.  
  
She watched from the trees as the young king called out his demands to the dragon. Was this how she wanted it? She didn't know anymore, her walk had done no good to clear her feelings. She cried out in anguish as the dragon began charging it's flame.  
  
His anger boiled and surged through him as the dragon delayed his life a breath longer, he wanted it to end now! He could hear his heart beating against his chest and echoeing through his ears. Suddenly, a cry from behind him alerted him of a presence. He'd recognize her voice anywhere, but what was she doing here?  
  
Jason ran swiftly through the thick underbrush. He had heard Hitomi cry out and the dragon's low growl. He unsheathed his sword as he burst into the clearing. "I don't believe this," He said as he took in the scene, "He's sacrificing himself to a dragon!" He launched himself into the night sky, sword held high. He brought it down, with all his strength, between the dragons' vertabri. The beast was now paralized to the spot and the gullets connection with it's fire pouch was destroyed.  
  
"What are you doing!" Van screamed as Jason landed on the ground.  
"Saving your butt! What does it look like?" He answered in a heated tone.  
"Why can't you let me die in solitude!?!" Van came back with.  
"Die!" Jason boomed, "Van, you idiot! You can't die, your people need you!"  
"Need me!" he scoffed, "I don't care!" He lowered his tone as his voice quivered, "What's the point in living."  
"What's the point?" Jason lowered his tone aswell, "Van, if you die, you can't even attempt to patch things up with, Hitomi."  
Van looked away, "What's the point, she made it all clear."  
Jason growled to himself, Van was being stupid and not seeing any sense. He launched himself at the Draconian and struck him down on a fist.  
Van's head jerked to one side as the blow hit him. He staggered back a few paces.  
"Has that knocked some sense into you!" This wasn't Jason Dende, knight Arkayl speaking, it was Jason Dende, Dragonslayer.  
Van held his chin and cheek, "What's the use?"  
Another blow came his way and he fell to the ground. He picked himself up.  
"I'm doing this for your own good, Van. You have to see sense, if you die, then who will protect her? Even if it's against her will." He took a calming breath.  
Van didn't answer.  
  
Hitomi watched as Jason struck Van for the second time. She couldn't hear the words and didn't even know why Jason was doing what he was doing. She could see the dragon behind them wryth in terror and frustration. But, then again, why should she care about what happened to Van? A shiver ran down her spine as the beast roared in anger.  
  
Van and Jason cringed as the dragon bellowed. His anger heated to it's maximum point, Van growled. "Shut up!" He screamed at the dragon. He thrust his hands forward and launched a powerful beam of light from the centre of his palms, the ripping pain hardly registered in him as his wings were brought forth to balance this new power.  
  
She gasped as the ray of light struck the dragon. It seemed to keen heavily and fall down, under it's weight. Then it's skin started to dissolve infront of the three until it's bones were left. She felt nauseous as the bones split and fragmented into tinier pieces before dissapearing completely. Van whirled around to face where she was hiding. Hitomi wanted to cry out, his wings were a deep red colour and pulsed. The worst was his eyes, the eyes she found fascinating had a glint of something evil in them. It was dark magic. His face was unwelcoming and scared her more than his eyes and pulsing wings.  
  
His laboured breathing continued as he studied her, crouched in the undergrowth. He could see everything, he felt like his vision had become that of the dragons, slit and capable of seeing almost the tiniest detail from this far. His heart beat in time to the pulsing of his wings, he could feel the dull thuds in his chest. He didn't quite comprehend what had just happened, he'd seen the dragon dissintergrate, he'd felt the pain of his wings pulsing and the pain of that strange beam of light from his palms.  
  
She felt naked infront of his, all seeing, gaze, her soul bare to his piercing look. Without realizing it, her breathing became faster, the look was frightening. Those eyes, those eyes that had so lovingly looked upon her exposed flesh that night, were now steel traps inwhich she was caught in. The black magic that danced in them burned with a fury she feared would over power him.  
  
All of a sudden a gripping pain raced through his body. Van cried out as it intensified. Every muscle in his chest tightened as the white hot pain surged through him. The whites of his eyes rolled in terror, what was happening?  
Strange, almost airy voices penetrated through the never ending pain, *Forgive, forgive, betray, forgive.* He didn't know what they were talking about, *Will not work, will not work, forgive, forgive, betray, forgive!* The voices rose in pitch. They seemed to go on and repeat an ancient prophecy, *When the Star Wanderer returns, the lost souls unite. Therein lies the firestorm, the bond must be forged and broken by both, but one has the power to make all the difference to both his people!* Their words echoed through his mind, *That which was the dragons', we now bestowed unto you, Knight of Dragons.* The pain rose in intensity. He feared that it would kill him. *Their powers combined can command the blood line, remember, Knight of Dragons, that together your powers could bring forth great turmoil, but we place our faith in your hearts, may they always beat strongly and as one.* The voices faded away and he collapsed to the floor in relief as the pain followed them, what were they talking about?  
  
Hitomi heard the strange, unearthly, voices and she pondered over it, anything to escape those penetrating eyes when they were turned on her. She thought of the Star Wanderer and of the Knight of Dragons. The knight was obviously Van, but the Star Wanderer, was it her? What did they mean by forgive and betray? She cried out as Van collapsed to the ground.  
  
This time Jason heard her scream, as clear as day. He watched his friend crumble onto the ground. "Van!" He slung his sword into it's sheath and kneeled down to help the young warrior up. He also watched Hitomi burst out from her hiding place, she came up beside him and, together, they helped Van up. He was barely concious, his eyes were glazed over, like he was in a trance. Jason grabbed Van's sword and dropped it in the sheath. It was loose, but for now, it would have to do. They helped the young king back to, the nearly deserted, castle. This was going to cause an uproar, he had told her.  
  
Early Morning.  
Hitomi tossed and turned in her sleep. After taking Van to the infirmary, Jason had offered to stay with him while Hitomi got some rest. She had returned to her room and all but collapsed herself from exhaustion. She had a restless night. Her thoughts were haunted by ghosts of nightmares.  
With a sudden jolt she was brought back to reality. She sat up straight in her bed, a cold sweat running down her forhead and into her eyes. She wiped it away with a hand as she willed her breathing to slow down.  
A knock on the chamber door alerted her of someones presence. "Who is it?" She asked, shakily.  
"Hitomi! Wake up you lazy thing! What happened to Lord Van?"  
Hitomi groaned as Merle burst through the door. She didn't want to talk about it. Last night, when she had gotten to bed and before falling asleep, she had cried for, seemingly, ages. She didn't know what to do, where her true feelings lay, she was confused and frightened. The look in his eyes, when they had turned on her, was enough to pierce her heart a thousand times with needle sharp arrows. She had to sternly remind herself that that was not Van, but dark magic possessing him.  
"Merle, what's wrong?"  
"Lord Van is ill and I need to tell him something, but I'm not allowed to see him." The cat girl was near to tears. "What happened?"  
"I don't know, Merle."   
The cat studied her a moment, then spoke softly, clearly uncertain. "Hitomi, can I tell you something? And you promise you won't tell, Lord Van."  
"Yeah, Merle, sure."   
  
Outside, in the corridor, a lone kitchen drudge past the door to Hitomi's room. The laundry she was carrying errupted from her grasp as shouts and screams entered the morning atmosphere. She opened the door to the Mystic Moon girl's room and saw her and Merle dancing around the bed. They stopped and looked at her. "I'm sorry, was I interupting something?"  
"Oh, no, Hilda." Merle replied. The maid ducked out and carried on with her work, starting by picking up the laundry she had been carrying.  
  
"But that's great news, Merle!"  
"I know, but I have to tell Lord Van."  
"I'm sure he'll be overjoyed."  
"I hope so, I also hope he's alright. Hitomi, would you do a tarot spread for me?"  
"Oh, gee, Merle, I'm not sure that's a good idea, you should leave this out of fates arms." She answered, a little aprehensive.  
"OK, but would you do me another favor? I guess only you and Jason will be allowed to see Lord Van. Would you go and see if he's alright for me?"  
"Sure, Merle."  
"Thank you, Hitomi." Merle hadn't been there when Hitomi had chucked her glass of ale over Van, and she didn't know anything of what happened.  
Somewhere deep inside of her, Hitomi wanted to go see him, find out how he was, but why should she care, if he didn't care for her. The sound of the disembodied voices rang through her head, *Forgive, forgive, betray, forgive!*  
When Merle left, Hitomi reached for her cards. "Maybe just one, to sort out this mess." She said to herself. The first one that came into her hand she turned over. The reversed Empress, "Maternal problems?" She gasped as she was surrounded by darkness. Three young figures came into view. "I know you," She said, pointing to each one in turn, "Naria, Aria, Folken." They dissapeared and she was surrounded by fire.  
  
"No! I'm fine Jason!"  
"Van, are you sure you feel well enough?"  
"For the last time, yes!" Van was standing near the exit of the infirmary, where he had spent the night. "Besides, I have some things to do." He added, in a solumn voice.  
Jason heaved a sigh, when Van got it in his head to do something, he'd see it through to the end, even if he was badly injured.  
"Don't worry I'm fine." He answered the unspoken question. "I have to do this Jason, you said yourself that if I didn't, I'd regret it." he paused, "If it would make you feel better, I'll go down to the kitchens first, kay?"  
"Alright, but I'm coming with you, I don't want you dying on me, especially when I changed your mind last time."  
When they reached the kitchens, Tirone, Allen, Gaddes and his crew were there. Jason grabbed a mug of cocana, a coffee like drink. Van reached for a bowl, spoon and ladel. He ladelled the bowl full of a cereal, boiling in the hearth. He joined his friends at the long table, but sat to one side of them, lost in his own thoughts. He rolled the spoon around the bowl, staring at it. He was resting his head in the palm of his other hand, mulling over last nights events. Knight of dragons? Star Wanderer? He took a logical stab at the last. Hitomi. The name struck him like a dagger, how could she doubt his love? How could she think that that night didn't mean anything to him? Because he was foolish and mucked it all up, he shided himself.  
He briefly cast a look to Tirone, he was sitting to one side of the group as well. Normally, the young white cat boy was energetic. Today, he seemed unusually subdued. The, usually, jet black stripes on him were now grey streaks, he didn't look too well.  
  
Hitomi reached the infirmary towards midday. The nurse on duty there had told her that Van wasn't there, that he'd left with Jason. That's odd, Hitomi thought. She turned to go to the kitchens, she was starving.  
  
Just as Van finally forced himself to start on his breakfast, a messenger came skidding into the kitchens. "Sir, Lord Van, sir."  
"What is it, Nick?" Van asked, dissapointingly eyeing his, cooling, bowl of cereal.  
"Sir, Zaibeche is heading our way. Around midday, a messenger came in with news of Zaibeche activerties. Like you ordered I was sent to let you know."   
Van sighed, no food for him. "OK, Nick, tell the guards to start rounding everyone in the castle up. Tell them to shepherd them all to the fields at the back of the castle."  
"Sir." Nick saluted and ran off to deliver his message.  
"What was that all about?" Jason asked, downing the last of his drink.  
"I can't explain now, but I need you all to help out. Start spreading the message." Now he needed to find Hitomi, he hoped this wasn't going to be too hard, she had to see sense, he needed her help.  
He turned to go and find her when Jason put a restraining hand on his shoulder, "I hope I know what and where you are going first, Van?"  
"You got it in one, Jason, please excuse me," He turned back to the door, "While I go to a fate worse than death." He turned back to his friend with a wry smile, "A woman!" With that he cantered off down the hallway.  
Van thought he should check her room first, she might still be asleep.   
  
Jason sent the rest to start their jobs. He wanted to do something first. He hoped this might make it easier for Hitomi to see sense. She was almost as stubbon as Van. He went in search for her. Just as he was heading out of the kitchens, Hitomi came round the corner. "Hitomi, I need to see you."  
"Jason, what is it?"  
"It's about Van."  
"Oh ..." She sounded uninterested.  
"Hitomi, please, you gotta listen to me, the guy is going insane." True enough, after turning suicidle on him last night, Van had been awake most of it argueing with Jason about why he didn't let him die. Crazy talk.  
"So."  
"Hitomi, don't you see," He pleaded, "It wasn't his fault!"  
"I don't care, Jason!"  
"Hitomi, please," He pushed, "Fine, I'll have to prove it to you." He took her in his arms and, before she could resist, kissed her soundly. When he released her he said bitterly, "That was what happened, only I'm not Areanna. The girl's a pig, Hitomi, Van would never fall for her."  
She blinked at him. "If you want to, you can slap me." He suggested.  
"I would," She replied in a whisper, "If you weren't making me try to see sense." She turned her gaze to the ground, "I've been so foolish, haven't I?" She looked back up to him, tears filling her eyes. "Jason, what am I going to do?"  
"Simple," He said with resolve, "slap me, for overstepping the line, then go hunting Draconians. Infact, you literally just missed him, he's looking for you. On my advice." He added.  
She smiled, a sad smile, "Thak you, Jason, I'm so sorry." With that she did as he asked and slapped him full on the face. She turned on her heels and fled.  
  
Van sunk to the stoney ground on the castles steps, out in the main courtyard. He'd looked everywhere and couldn't find her. She wasn't in her room or with Merle. He'd looked back in the kitchens, but they were deserted. He was at a loose end now, he didn't know where to turn. All that he knew was that he had to find her. He was gasping for air, all he had been doing today was running around, desperately looking, but to no avail.  
"Van! Van, where are you? I know you're here! Remember, I have the pendant!" Came a feminine voice from afar. It had a ring of detress in it. His head shot up, along with the rest of him as he strained to find her.  
"Hitomi!" He cried out as he leapt down the steps, two, three at a time. He didn't care about the pain of his sword sheath hitting against a bruise on his leg, all that mattered was finding her, and not mucking it up this time.  
"Hitomi!" He caught sight of her, turning to his voice.  
"Van!" She called back, just as enthusiastically.  
He caught up to her and held his hands, palm up, infront of him, pleading for his sanity. "Hitomi, please, I'm so sorry, I ... I don't know what to say that will make you change your mind." He was breathless, but he didn't care. "It was all my fault."  
Her face turned serious, "You don't have to lie to me, Van Fanel, to win back my love. I don't want you covering that little Bitch's tracks."  
He stared at her in surprise. He'd never heard her swear before. She stared back at him, "Oh come on, you fardling fool!"  
"Hitomi ..." He smiled a little, "You've been on Gaea way too long."  
Her expression softened, "I'm sorry I called you a ... what I called you." She looked away, "I had no right to." Tears glistened in her eyes.  
He couldn't stand to see the pain in them any longer. He stepped forward and enfolded her in his arms. "You don't have to be, I deserved it." He could weep for joy right then, it had seemed so easy to apologize, yet so difficult.  
She shook her head against his chest, "No, Van, I was wrong, I was wrong about everything." She whimpered softly against him.  
"Shhh, Hitomi, you were right, I am a fardling fool! And I'm not just saying that, I truely am one, believing that I had lost your love and that my life was worthless." A tear rolled down his cheek, "I'm sorry." He whispered.  
"You mean you were going to ... by a dragon?" She looked up at him. He wasn't smiling, his expression was solumn and sober. She dropped her head back down, tears were now coursing the length of her cheek and neck, "Van, no!" She drolled, "Not because of me?" She gasped back a sob, "No!"  
He watched her cry her heart out for a while before lifting her chin, with a finger, to face him.  
She looked into his eyes, the magic was still there, it was just dormant. It was frightening to think of how intense his glare was when this power was awakened, such was the gift of the Knight of Dragons. It came to her in a flash, instinct let the pieces fall into place, the ruby, the dragon, the voices, star wanderer and knight of dragons. Such was the fate of the Atlantians and their experiment.  
A smile crossed his lips, "Now, this fardling fool kindda needs a little help here to save a planet ... again."  
"What do you mean?"  
"The green dragon will strike tonight!" The smile vanished, "We have to stop it from destroying Gaea."  
"How?" She breathed. She gasped as understanding settled in. "The ruby, the dragon fountian, the writings." There was something else, "The prophecy."  
*When the Star Wanderer returns. The lost souls unite. Therein lies the firestorm, the bond must be forged and broken by both, but one has the power to make all the difference to his peoples.*  
She whispered under her breath the last part of what the voices had to say, "That which was the dragons, we now bestow unto you, Knight of Dragons." The Dark magic. 


	13. Night of the Dragon

Dragon Burn.  
By Amanda Wardropper  
  
Night of the Dragon  
Chapter 13 - castle of New Fanailia  
  
They sped down the corridors. It was almost time. Van had ordered everyone to that courtyard where the Atlantian scripts were. He said that they needed more energy, something he only knew from instinct. That's all that they were running on, instinct. It was guiding them to the right desicions. Hitomi thought it ironic that Lady Fate was playing a game of destiny with them again.  
"Van, are you sure about this?"  
"As sure as my wings will never fail me!" He called back to her.  
She wasn't so sure as he seemed to be. Although her instinct was telling her what to do, she didn't have time to think about it, her instinct could easily make a wrong turning as it were.  
They heard somebody coming up behind them. "Wait! Van! Lady Hitomi!" It was Jason.  
Hitomi turned her head, rather than meet his eyes. She could never forget what happened, despite how innocent it was.  
"Everything is ready, Van, all the castles inhabitants are gathered outside, in the fields behind the castle."  
"Good, now, have some of the meluf teams suit up. Get Kayleeth and Escaflowne suited up aswell."  
Jason speeded up and took a sharp left to the meluf hangars, Van paused at the cross roads, clearly not wanting to let go of her, but also wanting to do his duty. She clutched his shirt, "Van." She looked into his brown eyes, asking him not to leave.  
Finally he sighed, in resognition. "Fine, I won't go out onto the battle field," He smiled sincerly at her, "Mistress!" His smile withered, "But I have to take Escaflowne out, so I can hear the com unit."  
"Then let me come with you, we're together in this, now and always."  
"From two worlds, shall come two people and one power shall decide their fate." He recited the prophecy given to the two who would control the Dragon God. "Come on then." He raced down the left hand corridor, where Jason had vanished down.  
  
It was dark in the meluf hangars. The sound of their echoeing footsteps was all that penetrated the great darkness. Hitomi stopped dead in her tracks when the grinding of gears started up. A trill sound that pierced through her ears. "It's alright, it's just Escaflowne, it senses that I'm near by the blood pack." Van shouted, over the noise.  
He ran down the aisles of Guymelufs, all sat atop the piers. Towards the very back of the hangar, the more important guymelufs were kept. At the very back stood the most important one of all, the king's own. The most powerful of all guymelufs and of Ispano make, the white dragon god, Escaflowne.  
She followed Van to the guymeluf. He jumped onto the platform infront of the energist, "OK old buddy, let's rock." He place a hand on the energist and splayed it out. The energist inside began to glow and a jet of steam was released as the cockpit door opened. Van stepped inside and the door closed behind him. Minutes later, when he had set the controls, the huge, steel soldier's gears began grinding faster and louder.  
The massive warrior began to stand. It's cloak billowed out behind it, a royal, navy blue.  
Escaflowne bent down on one knee and held a hand out to her. She seemed so small by comparison to the hand offered her.  
"Hey, you wanted to come, hurry up!" The young warrior within called to her. She stepped onto the palm.   
"Em ... Van, are you sure about this?" It was alright riding a dragon, but whenever she was held in Escaflowne's grasp, it tended to get tighter, faster.  
Van sighed in agitation, "I promise I'll be careful." Women ..... chaaa! He thought.  
When the hand closed around her the meluf stood to it's full, towering height. Hitomi looked down at the floor and gasped, she never realized how tall   
Escaflowne actually was.  
Escaflowne leaned forward as it leapt into action. Reaching the end of the hangar, where the doors were now open, it jumped into the air. As it morphed into the white dragon, Hitomi could here the ripping sound of fabric as the wings of the great beast unfurled.  
"Alright, so I won't join the battle," Van told her as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "But just this once." He added with a smirk.  
"Fine by me." She answered. As the white dragon took flight into the dying daylight she thought of all the times that Van had almost died himself, whether it be her fault or Escaflowne's. At the painful memories she buried her head in his shirt, "I'm so glad you never died, Van." She whispered into it.  
Sensing her anguish, Van wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders and drew her close. "Just one last battle." He told her. "And then it's all over."  
As they climbed height he swirved to the right and the walls of the great courtyard rose up infront of them.  
He took to one of the corners and angled the beast to balance on top of the collossal wall.  
People were already gathering, talking, questioning why they were here. They were all here for a purpose, all were involved in this final stretch of Myths, Prophecy, Legend and Destiny.  
The two Draconians sat down in the white dragons cockpit, not wanting to let go. Van leaned forward to switch the com unit on. As he leaned back he hitched a knee up and drapped his free arm over it. He stated, as he looked over the sea of people, "We could've come here later, but I wanted to share something with you." He waited for a long moment before continuing, "I bet you never took the time to watch a full, Gaean, sunset and watched the moons rise before."  
"No, I never had the time." He smiled, on their first adventure, they rarely had time for a shower!  
"I wanted to take you up here while the dancing was just starting, but ... I never got the ... time."  
She shivered, although it had been a fine day, rain was heading their way, from behind. She huddled herself closer to him, taking in his masculin odor. He welcomed her warmth as she savoured his. The sun was low on the horizon now, casting a beautiful hue of orange across the land. The com unit buzzed, but only to report on their positions.  
As the dying sun reached just over the violet mountains, in the far distance, it seemed to glow with a deep shade of orange. Hitomi gasped, the flat land and forest took in the colours and melted into one, whereas the looming forms of Fanailia's heighest mountain ranges, the Rougue Amour. Unbeknown to her, they were named in an ancient language long forgotten, but meant Lost Lovers, a sort of prophecy in themselves. Her eyes widened and dilated, the emerald in them glowing, along with the landscape. A smile crossed her lips and she leaned into him, "It's all the more gorgeous, when I'm with you." (Soppy i know! :) ) She looked out at the horizon, in her minds eyes, she could see the great, red dragon God facing her, beckoning her to set it free. She watched as it cantered across the suns path and swung back around again. The gathering clouds were dusty, with an almost luminous yellow on their under sides.  
"Just one more battle, then it's all over, Hitomi ... just one more." He whispered, squeezing her shoulders for emphasis.  
Unlike Earth, Gaea's moons followed directly behind the sun, but were only fully visible once the sun had set. The stars began uncloaking themselves while the two moons gathered light and cast it off in a pastely river of galaxies and nebulas far away.  
"Hey! Van!" Van leaned forward and looked over Escaflowne and down to where the voice was coming from. It was Tirone, he stuck two fingers in his mouth, mimicking being sick. He removed them and called up to the two lovers on the huge white dragon, "You're gonna bring up my dinner if you stay their, cavorting any longer! C'mon down, you got work to do, Van!"  
Van smiled smugly and stuck two fingers up in the air, at Tirone, "F*&K work! Why sit through boring meetings when I could be, in your words, 'frolicking' with an angel?" Hitomi blushed as she watched the two exchange mocking blows.  
"Any more frolicking and you'll need a room! Or else my dinner really will come up!" It was Van's turn to blush, he was caught off guard, Hitomi rolled her eyes and dived in to save him.  
"Fine," she said, in a way too pleasant voice, " seen as it's your dinner at stake can we use your room?"  
The white cat boy turned bright red. Van regained his composure and added, "Or do you need it?" Tirone's face deepened to scarlet. His face cleared and he smiled, waving his hands dismissingly, "Ahhh what's the use!" The two Draconians fell back laughing. The cat boy got down on all fours and bounded off to tend to some unknown business.  
When they'd stopped laughing Van pointed out, "You do know that in order to get down from here, we're gonna either have to jump it or use our wings. Infront of this croud."  
"Van, you told me that it was best if you didn't use your wings infront of a crowd, of any people, not just your own."  
"So I goofed and forgot about the fact that we have to get down!"  
"I think we should jump. If it means we keep our wings secret for another day."  
He sighed, "They already know about me, they had to live with a boy intent on learning how to fly."  
"Well how about using those climbing plants behind us." She pointed to the vegetation.  
He grinned, "What would I do without you, Hitomi?"  
"I dunno, what did you do? If it weren't for me, you'd have the whole city running after us with farm tools and torches." She giggled.  
"C'mon, we better start gearing the crowd." He started to get up but she held his shirt.  
"Awwww! But the sun hasn't even set properly yet!"  
Van sniggered, "C'mon ya lazy thing! You just wanna sit there!"  
"With you." She added. With a heavy sigh, she pulled herself up, "Alright, I'll give up my time with you, for the sake of some measly few hundred people!"  
"Millions, Hitomi. We're gonna save millions."  
"Oh yeah! I forgot it's the whole Gaea that rests in our hands. Again." She grumbled.  
"I'll make it up to you. We'll watch the sun rise in the morning. You may as well see both!"  
"Fine with me!'  
He leapt over the side of Escaflowne, grabbing some vegetation on his way down. The vine he was holding carried on dropping for about three quarter of the way down the wall, until he was yanked back up into the air when it reached it's furthest length. He gave a quick look up and down, "That ortta do it!" He dropped the rest of the way and landed on the cobbled ground. He called up to her, "I hope you're good at climbing."  
"No." Was her answer. She started to get out. She yelped as she lost her footing and slid several feet before gaining a foot hold again. "I told you so." She said sheepishly.  
The sky was darkening rapidly, the clouds in the distance were a smouldering storm on the horizon, waiting to attack Fanailia with all natures force. It was worse, because Fanailia was situated between mountain ranges, where storms could be fataly spectacular.  
Hitomi dropped to the ground beside him as Van looked out amoung the sea of wandering souls. They didn't have a clue why they were here, just by command of their sovereign. "Soon, very soon."  
"What?"  
His voice sounded distant as he listened to the inner calm within him, "Green Holith, God of all Forest Dragons."  
She frowned in puzzlement, "What are you talking about." She nearly lost her breath when he turned to face her. The Dark magic within him burned viciously in his eyes. Despite the fact that they were glazed over in a trance like calm, the fury inside boiled to a point. The clouds of instinct swept in endlessly changing shapes in his brown eyes. Scared as she was, about that look, she could hear more than see that he was not Van Fanel, but the Draconian born to play out this endless dance with fate. "Red Rangerath awaits us."  
Relying on her own instinct to tell her what he was talking about, she added in a whisper, "God of all Dragons."  
He nodded shallowly, "The dance begins."  
"The dance with death." She entered the trance like disposition that Van was in. A place where they weren't who they knew each other as, but the ones prophecied to see the dance take place, controling it, editing it, relying on it. This place between physical and unphysical presence was a desolate wasteland, nothing but prophecy, instinct, the past and the future lay between the world of the living and the world of the dead.  
This place was the sleeping mind of the beast deep inside both of them, the God of Dragons, Red Rangerath.  
Van hardly heard the messenger in the middle of the courtyard call to him, "Sir! The green horizon has been spotted to the East." Where the storm clouds brooded. "It begins." He whispered. "Let us see this through." Van was lost in the world of prophecy, as was Hitomi, their souls dedicated to the cause they were born for. Their physical bodies were just empty shells now, no feeling, just sight and sound reached them in this desolate desert.  
In this place, Hitomi stood, her minds eye. She watched through unseeing eyes as her body moved forward and stopped infront of the fountain. The winged waters eyes, she thought. The dragon head was missing the red eye. The ruby in her pocket, the missing link. Van stood behind her, sharing the same thought.   
*You have come! Awaken me so I may do what I am destined for!* The disembodied voice boomed through the silence of their empty world. *Awaken the winged waters! I am ready!*  
Obediently, Hitomi removed her ruby from it's imprisonment in her pocket and placed it in the knotch of the dragons missing eye.  
  
Jason wandered into the courtyard, having finished his job of meeting the first line of guymelufs, he'd promised Van he'd be there when the final chapter of this strange, twisted fate occurred. He halted abruptly when he caught sight of Van and Hitomi, standing infront of the fountain. He didn't hear the deep, booming voice of the fire spirit, nor did anyone else, except those destined to dance with death. He didn't know exactly what Van was doing or had planned, but he knew better than to dismiss destiny. He was once a Dragon slayer, a breed of people at Lord Donkirks call. Their purpose, while under rule of Dilandu, was to destroy Van Fanel, a fate which nobody had completed. Destiny had worked against them.  
He worked his way through the crowd, picking up Tirone on the way. The two stoped just infront of the fountain, Van and Hitomi.  
As Hitomi placed the ruby in it's rightful place, a crushing imapct to the air around them, took the crowds breath away. As fast as it had come it was gone. In it's place, stood a tall column of red light, swallowing the fountain and space around it for three paces. Van and Hitomi stepped in. The column of light was only slightly see through.   
Jason and Tirone stood on the edge of light. Too confused to try and make sense of this event and too scared to do anything about it.  
  
Inside the column of red light, it was warm, uncomfortably warm. For a brief moment Hitomi had returned to her, all senses. She glanced up above her. The pillar of light reached up for thousands of feet, only a tiny speck of the sky above was left. Her senses were abruptly torn away from her, back into the place between worlds, where their goal lay.  
*You are here, you must release me.* The voice of the dragon god called to them. In the place between worlds, their spirits wandered over to the bulk that was Rangerath. It's red scales covered the whole of it's body, except it's massive wings. His limbs were taller and wider than Van was tall. Powerful paws, with huge, glistening claws gripped the ground. The head was almost as big as Hitomi and it's long, supple neck as thick as her waist. As it's jaw muscles worked and it opened to reveal countless numbers of tiny, sharp teeth, the forked tongue stuck out from between them. One of it's yellow, slit eyes focused on Van. He stood tall, chest puffed out and his jaw muscles working as he held the dragons stare. Rangerath snorted, *You are indeed the Knight of Dragons,* It lowered it's head to him,* I bow down to your power, oh great leader.* The eye focused on Hitomi next. She bravely held it's gaze, although she was scared out of her wits. *You are the Star Wanderer, Draconian child. I bow down to your knowledge." It verified that they were indeed the ones prophecied. The head lifted high into the air, still keeping her stare, *You have truely awsome powers, you are not aware of. You must free your power, Star Wanderer.* It's jaw opened, in a dragon smile, *It is good to see that the lost souls have been united again. It is good to see my masters after so long.*  
"But we are not your masters, Rangerath, we only request your help." Her voice sounded like a mouses squeak compared to the low rumble of the dragon.  
Rangerath inhaled deeply. The muscles on his ribs revealing them. He let it out in a rush of steam, *Only my masters can summon me, as you can summon the Knight of Dragons via the pendant, as he can summon you, Star Wanderer, by his calling.* The feather. The head rose further into the air, looking up into nothingness. Only the dragon knew what he was looking for, * We must hurry, my twin, Holith, is coming.* He glanced back down at the Star Wanderer, *You have great power, my child, for the common good. Greater than that of the Knight of Dragons. However, in turn he has a more stronger darker side than you, a balance that must always be kept and always in mind.* That explains the look in Van's eyes. *If you go through with this, Children of the Stars, keep in mind, your feelings for each other, I thrive on your emotions, I grow stronger each time an emotion is strong enough. Never let yourself doubt those feelings. It is time.* Van had been paying close attention, he gave a low bow of his head. Hitomi stared in wide eyed awe. Inhaling sharply, the dragon let out a powerful, loud, bone shaking roar. A challenge to the world of the living, announcing it's imminent arrival.  
  
Back in Fanailia, the crowd gathered in the courtyard all drew breaths together, women screamed and fainted as a ghastly moan was heard. The pillar of light pulsed, waves of it rising from the ground, to the towering heights above. It's colour grew darker.  
  
Inside, their senses were returned. Hitomi gasped for breath, a cold sweat covered her forhead. Van was in the same state. Before she could get a word in he screamed in pain. The sound went ripping through her ear drums. He threw his head back as his wings burst out from his shoulders, his shirt fragmented and drifted off into an unseen breeze within the light. The whites of his eyes rolled in horror as he was surrounded by fire. The flames swallowed him and drove upwards. She could make out his shadow and called to him. No answer except his long drawn cry. He held his head in his hands, the pain coarsing through him was almost unbearable. In order for the fire spirit to exist in this world he had to share a soul.  
From atop it's height, Escaflowne's metal form reared and belowed in a metallic ring that was sent in waves through the terrified crowd. It lifted itself from the wall and plunged into the flames. The updraft carried it high into the sky. The fire molded into it's shape, covering it, clinging to it like a second skin. Life had been given back to the dragon once lost. To sustain it, great power was needed.   
  
Jason felt a stab of pain, it dissipated almost in the same moment. All of a sudden it felt like his strength was being sapped from him. The dragon was feasting.  
  
Voices pierced their ears as the fire around Van lowered. *Will not work! Forgive, Forgive, Betray, Forgive!*  
"What!" He shouted. The voices repeated their chant several times.  
"But I already forgave him!" Hitomi voiced.  
* You have not been faithful Star Wanderer. you have betrayed your one true.* Van's face turned ashen. The forbidden kiss. Jason.  
She groaned as she hid her face in her hands, "How could I?"  
"How could you what? Hitomi ... please don't say that you ..." His voice broke.  
She looked up into his eyes, the dark magic still thundered through them, "I ... It's not what you think! ... I" He looked heart broken, "Van ... Don't do anything rash. I ... it was just one ... I kissed him ... I kissed ... Jason." His mouth worked but no words came out. Tears stung her eyes. He took a step to her side, where Jason stood watching. In a lightning moment he struck out at him. His fist connected with Jason's jaw. In a bitter voice, Van warded, "Now we're even ... Dragon slayer." Jason comforted his jaw.  
"Van, please don't." He turned his raptor glare onto her. Without a word he launched himself into the air, beating his wings. His heart broken and shredded into tiny pieces, up to where Escaflowne gathered it's shape.  
In that instant Hitomi buckled in pain, of a love lost. The pain gripped her heart. Her head swung back, her back arched, her fists held out at her side, she let rip a frightening scream as nothing but inundated pain shot through her. In a split second she heard the ripping of skin and fabric as her wings crashed through her shirt and blazer.  
She clutched at what was left of her shirt. Her fists rested on her chest, still stuck out. She took a deep breath before crying out again, this time for Van. The pain was so intense she feared she might die. If she did, she couldn't without his forgiveness.  
  
Van heard the ear piercing screams from his crouched position on Escaflowne. His vision was badly blurred as his mouth quivered. *Son, what are you doing?* His head shot up.  
"Mother?" He whispered, in an uncertain voice. The spirit before him brightened the darkness all around. It held out it's hands to him.  
*Son, what are you doing? You are killing her, can you not see?*  
"What?"  
"You are killing her. Look down," She pointed to the ground below them, "Past the feelings of your heart. Can you not see? Did Rangerath not warn you? That you possess a great, dark power?  
"Yes but ..."  
*This is the form of that power. Do you not see. You and the Star Wanderer are linked. She will die if you do not do something."  
"What do you mean? I don't want her to die." He stared at the ground in disbelief. Just because he was angry didn't mean he wanted her to die. As if she had read his mind the spirit answered, *She is devoted to you, Van, my son. She would lay down her life for you. If you do not do something, she will throw away her life, in the sorrow of knowing that she made you renounce your love for her.*  
"But ..."  
*What are your true feelings, Van? Does it matter, one little betrayl? It's not like you havn't betrayed her.*  
Understanding swept in. He reached a hand out to the floor and screamed, "Hitomi, no!!!! I don't want you to die!" He leapt off Escaflowne, wings spread to their full extent. "No!!!"  
*You have to hurry! She has not got that long!* The spirit called after him, *I want you to know that I am proud of you, my son. I am happy that I now know that I have raised you in the right way. Hitomi is a truely lucky woman.* The name of his love rang through the air on the chimes of his mothers voice. I am happy that you are so wise and that you have given me another chance at life, mother, he thought in the seconds it took him to reach her.  
Van reached a hand out to her, fingers splayed inside the brown gauntlets he wore. "Hitomi, it's alright. I forgive you!"  
His voice rang through her head like a good spirit's. She opened her eyes, he was indeed a good spirit come to rescue her from her death. His hand out streched to her, meeting his eyes wasn't the evil experience she thought it would be, but the loving look, shared by two lovers. Despite the magic within them she could still see the tender worry in them, of unimaginable love, of uncharted care. Between the pain she lifted her hand to his. The split second it took to clasp his hand the pain cut off, as though connecting with him would save her from any kind of pain or death. She called his name. In the split second it took for him to lift her up and wrap her in his arms, all worry, all doubt was banished and undying care and love swept in.  
"I forgive you, a thousand times over." He whispered into her hair as he kissed it. "I don't want any other but you ... never."  
She held onto him and her shirt, crying in relief. "Van, I swear undying vengance against anyone who tries to take me away from your arms at this moment." In that moment, she was in paradise, again. A paradise longforgotten, never felt since she had said fairwell to him over a year ago, in the tomb of his family, in the forests of Fanailia, or when he had rescued her from Donkirk's fortress. A paradise   
discovered once more, in his tender embrace.  
*You have proved your faithfulness to each other, I am proud masters. You truely are the ones prophecied, I am sorry that the good spirits chose to test you in that way, I had no way with it. Your emotions of conflict have brought me forward. Your undying affection for each other is what will power me, being the strongest emotion of all.* The voice of Rangerath, God of all dragons, boomed over the sound of the light, coarsing upwards to the stars.  
*Take to your dragon, Knight of Dragons, let me show you how a dragon thinks in the heat of battle.*  
"I don't want to fight!" Hitomi cried into his shoulder. "I don't want to kill people."  
*Your kind heart, Star Wanderer, is a great power. You are the one who keeps me sustained in the world of the living. It is your emotion and empathy for those around you which marks you out as the true Star Wanderer, among those that went before you. You will not join the fight, if you so choose, but I pray you will stay by his side. It is prophecied that the Knight of Dragons is so named because he has the heart of a dragon, the will of one and the spirit of one in fight, striking opponents down in a thought. But, in order for him to fight, he must have a worthwhile reason. Therefore, he has always fought for a world without war and to protect the true Star Wanderer, though he may not see it that way.*  
"You mean, Van only exists, as the Knight of Dragons, for the sole purpose of protecting me?"  
*Yes, not only that, he exists for he is the one born to the power of the dragon, no other. You both exist because you are unique, the best of your abilities, the ones who are prophecied. Do not think of it as that though, it is misguiding to the wrong mind. Think of it as helping each other to survive. You give him something to fight for, therefore he lives through the fight and lives to fight another day. You are the bond between each others lives, linking them in endless limbo.   
Now, we must fight!*  
"Wise words, from a wise creature." Hitomi smiled and looked up at Van, "I will give you something to fight for, Knight of Dragons, not because I so wish, but because I need you, Van."  
He returned her smile. "I am honored to fight on your behalf, Hitomi, Star Wanderer, I will not fail you." He carried them up to the vigilent height of Escaflowne. It's head turned to face them, no longer a guymeluf, but the spirit of the dragon God. *We will fight!*  
"Like never before!" Van assured. 


	14. Dragon Cry

Dragon Burn.  
By Amanda Wardropper  
  
Dragon Cry.  
Chapter 14 - courtyard of the Atlantians.  
  
Jason gazed up into the sky. The pillar of light seemed to rise forever. He sheilded his eyes with a hand, trying to spot the two Draconians. He nursed his jaw in the palm of his other hand, when Van was really angry he could pack a blow that would make a dragon topple over. He wasn't very pleased at being on the recieving end of his blow, but he guessed he deserved it. Still, it looked like he didn't take it out on Hitomi, not that he could.  
  
Van and Hitomi stood erect, on the mass of fire that was the dragon God and Escaflowne. *We go!* Rangerath screamed. The flames around them billowed up and spread, creating a mass shape that eventually formed the rough shape of a red Dragon. Their senses were once again returned to the empty place of the dragons mind, only now it was filled with the vision of what the dragon saw. Their physical bodies were engulfed in the huge, rippling mass of the inferno.  
In the world, that was not a world, they looked at each other and then at the scene the dragon saw. Another dragon stared back at them from afar, *My alter ego, Holith.* The red dragon growled. *Knight of Dragons, seer him!* A vision of Rangerath's great head swung round to face him, a snarling gulf of red scales. It's murky yellow horns stuck out from it's skull and twisted beyond. Van nodded slowly, *Then release your spirit!* Rangerath commanded. Hitomi felt a low thud in her chest, not painful and not at all pleasant. It felt like something had been taken out of her. Her very being, her soul. Then, she didn't see what the dragon saw, but what she saw infront of her. The forests below looked like tiny, still life ants. She looked down at her hands, examining them closely. They were not human flesh. They were a liquid inferno of red fire, swirling and ever changing, but staying in the same shape. She glanced around her, she wasn't alone, Van stood next to her. It wasn't Van, as in the human meaning, but a flame, a fire spirit. His wings billowed out from his back, bright red and ever changing with the mass of liquid fury. His broad shoulders pushed back and his wide chest puffed out. Behind them, the great fire spirit glowered at his foe. The green dragon charged ever closer to them.  
  
From the corner of his eyes, he watched her feminine shape, excentuated by the rippling, boiling liquid fire. A good spirit, come to deny his world from the evil that longed for it. Like an angel's, her graceful wings flowed out from between her shoulder blades, an ignited spark of fury, waiting to be unleashed. Like a Good Spirit, her body was arched, arms held out at her sides, following the curve of her wings, denying all her sacred temple, by birthright. He drew his gaze, unwillingly, away from her and explored his new found vision. Rangerath was behind them, staring out at the forests. Infront, in the far distance, the green fire of Holith burned brightly. He glanced back at the vision of beauty, the good spirit at his side. Her gaze met his and in that moment, all time was lost, slowed to an unmoving picture. An angel come to rescue him.  
*We must attack, Knight of Dragons, so we may gain advantage!* He snapped out of his daydreaming at the strict command. In a quick reaction to it, he drew his sword and held a fighting stance. A second later he realized that he was holding thin air. He glanced at his sword held in his hands. It was not there. *It is not part of your soul, your inner spirit. It is just a tool.* Great! He was up against a dragon, without a sword! How was he going to pull this off?  
In the, not so far off, distance, Holith bellowed his challenge *My master wants your head on a silver plater, Knight of Dragons! And the Star Wanderer's!* It's gravely voice reached them.  
Van growled, nobody was going to have his head, or Hitomi's. Not realizing it, he launched forward. His hand curled into a balled fist just behind and to the side of his head. He beat down his massive wings, sending hot sparks into the forests. They extinguished before they hit the floor.  
A vision of an angel. On wings of fire.  
He let out a powerful war cry, in his judgement this dragon threatend, not only his life, but hers aswell. The warrior must always have a purpose, a reason to fight.  
On wings of fire.  
As his form moved closer to the green, swirling mass of fire, his fist started forward.  
On wings of fire.  
He screamed in rage as a red shape darted past him and took out his foe. Rangerath hurtled it's weight into Holith. The two dragons, wings unfurled to their maximum peak, charged at each other, time and time again, in fatal head butts.  
Knee raised in mid stride, flowing forward at an alarming rate, fist moving ever faster, forward, Van caught the head of Holith full on. The dragon reared and cried in pain. I am the Knight of Dragons, bow down to me!Then I swear no mercy! She asked herself. If she did not want to fight, why was she here, in the heat of battle?  
*You are here to put an end to us, when the time is right.*  
  
*Very likely.* Would this be their last battle? Would she die away from home, away from everything she had learned and cherished? Would she die away from his arms, and not tell him how much he meant to her? With cold determination she swore an oath, infront of the good spirits, praying them to watch over them, I will prevail from this battle, with Van and Rangerath by my side, the only one who shall perish, is Holith! She caught herself, what was she doing? How could she wish another creature to die?  
  
Holith screamed his defiance as it hurtled forward, heading in a head rush straight for Van.   
Van brought his knee into the soft under belly of the great beast. Before he could divert it, Holith's fore claw came for his face. In a blinding shot of pain the claw tip connected with his cheek. White hot pain seared through him. In a reflex he struck the dragon once more. *Move Knight of Dragons!* Rangerath cried. Glancing to his companion, Van lept to the side of the fury of flames that sped past him and crashed head long into Holith.  
Van thrust his hands forward as he drifted, on his wings, to the side. In a bout of anger he released he soul's intent. A fire ball, bigger than any of them, grew and spat out. The air vibrated with the thunder that began. The storm had reached them.  
Joining the flames of the dragon god, Van's attack engulfed Holith. He thought it was all over, until he realized that destiny has a funny nack of making you think you've won, when, infact, you're no closer.  
As the flames dissapated, green Holith rose. Snarling with a fierce grin, of which Van did not like the looks of, it turned it's body to what it sought.  
*You are strong, Knight of Dragons, but how long will you last with no purpose?* With that, Holith brought it's wings down and launched itself at Hitomi.  
  
Hitomi saw the fire coming at her. She thrust a hand, outstretched, forward, in a hopeless attempt to ward off the ongoing attack. A strange radiance shot forth, from her palm. It covered Holith in it's aura. The dragon stumbled and cried out. Unfortunatly, it's forward motion drove it onwards, until it struck out with both of it's front claws. Only one set caught Hitomi, on the shoulder, but as it surged past her, it's massive tail crashed into her. She could hear the bone crushing sound of the impact, the sound of several ribs being broken. She shrieked at the pain, clutching at her side.  
Hitomi!You son of a ...Now, Rangerath!  
*You are the Star Wanderer, you are the one with the power, I do not know*  
The Star Wanderer's were named for the job that they performed, wandering the stars, freeing their powers on worthy foes, the power of the stars. The celestial prison. A power which cubed the enemy and emprisoned them in a box, for all time. A box in the stars, an alternative universe. That was all Rangerath knew, not how it was brought forth.  
She gasped as Holith struck Van, with a clawed fist. The strike drew blood, or, in this case, fire. The pain in her side was wearing thin on her patience. The deep gashes in her arms and legs throbbed furiously. Van was in no better shape. Yet more broken ribs and deep gashes. Rangerath and Holith seemed to be the best off, with only minor injuries and gashes in their wings. But green Holith was at a disadvantage. In a daze of fury, Van had sliced through a wing. Tearing it's ligements and braking the joint.  
The voices of the Good Spirits, watching over them from the start gave forth their demands. *The celestial prison, Star Wanderer. Use the radiance within.*  
Panting for breath she flung her arms in the air, pleading to the stars for strength. Along with her voice, countless numbers of good Spirit's joined in the ancient chant, of the mystical power. Of the Star Wanderer.   
From the heavens above came the glowing radiance. It plunged to the ground, spreading around the four warriors. Holith screamed defiance as the light concerntrated on it. Writhing in anger it spowted out a huge gush of flame. The light came crashing down around him, engulfing him, crushing him. *We have weakened him! The celestial bodies can now control him!* Rangerath told them. The radiance of the stars burned out, taking with it the god of Forest Dragons, green Holith.  
*You can now return your spirits my children. Thank you. The Gods are pleased that you have managed to banish Holith and free my eternal ghost. I can now be guided to the light.* The holy place of the Gods.  
In a blinding flash of light they were returned to their bodies. The great pillar of light around them dissapated and vanished. The fire around Escaflowne extinguished.  
Hitomi was exhausted and barely able to keep herself upright. To her horror, all wounds she had recieved were now emblazoned onto her skin, as real as if she had actually fought using her physical presence. Standing on her feet she began to sway. The pain was too much, the exhaustion of taxing herself and her powers took it's tole. She slipped into unconciousness and fell from the arms of the white beast. Her feathers broke away from her wings in a turmoil of whirlwind.  
  
It took a few moments for Van to realize that he was back in a physical state, and that his wounds were sapping strength from him. He clutched at his side. His jaw throbbed, along with the deep gashes that ran the length of his back and chest. He caught sight of feathers, floating aimlessly in the night sky. Compared to the brightness of the pillar of light, the night sky was pitch black. As his eyes got accustomed to the darkness he caught a glimpse of white. Immediatly, his eyes locked on. Hitomi, she was falling. In a split second he raced after her. Why is it always when I'm hurt badly, that she chooses to faint? He thought. Wasn't it enough that he was almost dead himself?  
He cried out in anger, at himself. Too late, she hit the floor of the cobbled courtyard. "No!" He landed carelessly and ran without heed of his own injuries. He skidded to a hault next to her and, practically, dived to his knees. Jason was there, he held her wrist in between his fingers and thumb. She still clutched the remminents of her shirt. He looked at Van when he came to a stop beside them. His eyes held the note of destress. Slowly he shook his head, not quite believing what had just happened. "Fool!" Van screamed. He forcefully pushed Jason away. The young knight skidded across the floor a ways, legs splayed, hands at his sides balancing him, and a dumbfounded expression on his face.  
Van gazed down at her. Her head lay to one side, her eyes shut tight, no sign of life. "No!" he whispered in anguish. A little louder he repeated his defiance, "No, not after all this!" Why now? Without another moments thought he bent to the task at hand, reviving Hitomi. Somebody grabbed his hands. His head jerked to them, a vision of rage. Someone was going to be ripped apart for denying him the, possibly, only chance at saving the Star Wanderer. Mistress Hilcha, head cook at the castle, stared back at him. She was a brave woman, crossing him like this. She wasn't the person to faint or flaunt infront of a man. She was the boss woman at the kitchens. "Lord Van, this is indecent!"  
"What do you mean! This woman is going to be lost forever if I don't do something!" He shouted back, at equal volume.  
"But it's indecent. For a king like yourself to treat commoners like her, I mean, to save her, you would ... have .. to ..." She gestured to Hitomi.  
Fire raged through his eyes. This woman better move herself before he took that anger out on her. "Remove your hands!" He warned, in a low growl.  
She backed away, doing as he said.   
"If you want to live, I dearly suggest you shut up and back away!" She did so. The look he gave her said it all. She was a brave woman, but no one would cross the king in such a foul mood as he was in, let alone provoke it.  
Turning away from her he faced his task. Without further adue, he recalled the brief lesson princess Millerna had given him, coincidentally, it was to save Hitomi's life. He sighed inwardly, What on Earth am I going to do with you, Hitomi? Haven't you caused me enough sleepless nights already?  
He layed his hands just bellow her collar bone, between her rib cage. He began focusing on his own heart beat, ignoring the pain. He pushed down on her, keeping in time with his own heart beat. "Lord Van, sir, it's indecent!" Hilcha screamed, "Let one of the medics do it!" She added to herself, "One of the women."  
Seeming to get no where, fast, tears stung his eyes. "No, Hitomi, don't leave me, I need you more than anything!" He whispered. Encouraging her to breath once more. Furiously, he ran through the lesson Millerna had given, he was doing everything right, why was it not working? Sweat and tears dripped from his nose.  
*The Star wanderer!* Rangerath called, from the place of holy spirits. *She cannot pass the vail! She mustn't!* He finally got to the final part of the lesson and spotted something he was missing, which was vital. The breath of life. He stopped pushing down on her chest and held her nose closed with a hand. The other he used to force her lips open. He took a deep breath, it hurt his broken ribs, and covered her lips with his. In cold determination he forced his breath into her. Then, quickly, he returned to pounding her chest. *This will not work.* Rangerath whined. He surrendered, *You are my masters, I will not let one die, because of me. I will give up my place with the Gods to help you.* Van didn't know what that meant, he didn't care.  
  
Up on it's vigilant height, Escaflowne watched over the scene unfolding. Rangerath's spirit entered it. The energist in it's claws began glowing, then pulsed with Van's heart beat.  
  
Jason heard a low keen. He looked to where it was coming from. Escaflowne reared and bellowed a sad note. It's energist pulsed as metal cracked and shaped into scales. The crunching of bones, shaping themselves to a modified shape. The visor lit with a viscious red. Eyes stared back at him. Wings unfurled and membrane replaced the fabrics. The energist sunk into the dragons chest, it pulsed so brightly, that you could still vaguely see it.  
  
*I am here! We will save her, Van.* The white dragon behind him bellowed a challenge to those around him. No one heard his words but Van. Tears coarsed down his cheek, it was hopeless. Five minutes had passed. *It is never hopeless. I can help.* The energist glowed brighter. Van's wings pulsed a bright white, giving the illusion of growing bigger. *You can do this.*  
"I will!" He repeated the process several times more before he caught the all important sign he was looking for. Her chest rose of it's own accord and the pendant on her neck began pulsing strongly in time with his wings. A second later, she curled up in a ball, to the side facing him and began a coughing fit. *She lives!*  
Van stroked her back, urging her to breath more normally. He grinned to himself, he could almost weep for joy. "It's OK, Hitomi. I'm here." He managed to get out between the pain and his ragged breathing.  
She clutched her side as her coughing fit raged on. Her broken ribs made it hard to breath properly. His hand on her back and his comforting whispers, made the pain bearable and gave her the will to stop coughing.  
  
Astonished whispers broke out in the crowd, the king had just saved the life of a young girl. By indecent means, but nontheless, saved her.  
Medics surged through the mass of people to tend to him.  
  
As her fit of coughing calmed she glanced up at her rescuer. Somewhere, deep inside, she recognised his voice, but she just wanted to make sure it was him. The angel wings confirmed it. Van.  
  
Losing strength, fast, Van pulled in his wings. The feathers floated off with more pain than usual. Medics came into view. They crowded around him. "No! Her first! Tend Hitomi first!" They argued the fact that he was badly injured. "No! She is worse!"  
*See, you can do it.* Van turned to the voice. He frowned, it was in his head. *That's right, blood partner.* Another glance caught the white dragon on the wall. *Who are you?Escaflowne is a guymeluf.I know! But how do you know what she said?The same heart beat? 


	15. Confessions and Proposals of the Damned

Dragon Burn  
By Amanda Wardropper  
  
Confessions and proposals of the damned  
Chapter 16 - Castle of New Fanelia, forests of Fanelia, New Fanelia castle.  
  
Several weeks later.  
Van was lying on his back, in his chambers, on his bed. He watched the little velvet pouch rise and fall on his chest, along with his unlabored breathing. This was the hardest thing he had ever had to consider in his life. One mistake and, well, his life wouldn't be worth living. This had to be perfect. He was scared out of his wits, not only from what he was about to do, but from trying to get used to the strange new presence of Escaflowne in his mind.  
*I think you should go through with it.* the dragon said, flatly.  
He grunted, "What do you know, dragon!"  
* I know that if you don't do this, you'll regret it.*  
He groaned, "I know! But ... how do I say it?"  
* Simple, you just say ...*  
"Alright! I don't need your help!"  
*You need my courage* The dragon put in slyly. He was sun bathing outside on the castles roof.  
Van rolled over, picking up the small pouch. He sat up and lifted himself off the bed.  
* Where are you going?*  
"I'm going for a ride."  
*Can I come?*  
"If you want, but I'm using my own wings." The dragon was insistent in that Van should always ride him, Escaflowne was very demanding and possessive.  
*Fine!* He also liked flying. Van heaved a weary sigh and stuffed the pouch in his trouser pocket. Rather than waste another shirt he took it off.  
When he stepped out onto the balcony Escaflowne was already gliding lazily in circles. Van let out his wings, Hitomi was right, they did hurt, but he ignored the pain, most times, what was his pain compared to someone trying to hurt his friends, or trying to take her away from him.  
He took flight and caught up with the white beast. He thrust himself into a cork screw dive and pulled away from it before he hit the forest floor.  
The sun was out in full today, after the stormy weather of the previous, and birds were flying across the vast expanse of forest, right up to the horizon. He tagged along in their wake, joining in with their acrobatics. He was releasing the pent up stress and having a good time before he had to return to pour his heart out.  
The dragons huge wings beat down the air as it rose up in the currents. *Hey! Coooooool!* It bellowed as it swung round and dived. The birds scattered and Van roared in laughter as the white bulk lost it's balance and clumsily skimmed the tree tops.  
  
Hitomi had recovered now and was in one of the beautiful gardens. Her wings were out, she was trying to get the hang of flying, she also wanted Van not to think of her as a clumsy duckling. She was hovering above a fountain, so far she'd managed to take off and land fairly good, but the actual flying was the hardest part. She was getting used to the pain now, like Van said she would. She was performing lazy circles around the fountain when she heard a low rumble and some quiet speech, *Hey! Coooooooool!* It was Escaflowne. She didn't understand how she could hear the beast, it was Van's dragon, he was the one blood packed to it.  
*You both share the same heart beat.*  
"What!"  
*You share the same beat of the heart. He gave your breath of life back to you and you now share his heart beat. I can hear you and you me because I can sense both of your hearts.* Hitomi had dubbed this The Mind Link, when all who are in it share something in common. In this instance all three had the same rhythm and strength of heart beat.  
She lost her balance and made an emergency landing. She thought she would never get the hang of this. *Hold on! We come!*  
"No! No Escaflwone! I'm alright." She didn't want Van to see her embarrassment at not being able to fly.  
  
"What happened?"  
*She fell.*  
"Well, what was she doing?"  
*Learning to fly, so you wouldn't think less of her.* One good thing about having a dragon was that he had almost no sense of privacy and told his rider almost everything. He sniggered as the dragon sent an image to his minds eye. *She says she looks like a clumsy duckling.*  
"Better go pick her up out of the pound then."   
  
She heard a rustling in the trees above her and a gentle voice ask, "You need a hand there?" She sat up and faced him. Van was leaning on a branch, he grinned at her.  
"No, I'm quite fine thank you." She picked herself up.  
He hopped down and said, "What's the matter, the little duckling start drowning again?"  
"I hate that dragon of yours." She grumbled.  
*Hey! Don't blame me, you wanna learn how to fly? Me and Van will teach you, all ya have to do is ask. He won't think any less of you.* She glowered at the beast hovering above the trees.  
"I'm doing fine by myself."  
"Looks that way an'all." he said, strolling over to her.  
She sighed heavily and flapped her wings lazily.  
He noticed now that after a couple of weeks her wings now had the sheen that was intended for Draconian wings. Having just realized she had wings she wasn't aware of the fact that they were fully grown. Draconian wings, when the person reached maturity, turned almost a blinding white and acquired glittery, star-like, auras. Hers was now like that. When sized up against each other, male Draconian wings tended to be slightly larger than that of a females but with the same sheen.  
"Here, let me show you, Draconian to Draconian." He took up a position to her side. He looked her way and added, "I promise I won't think any less of you if you ask for help, that's how I learned." Her shoulders untensed in resognition.  
"It gets easier with practice, I promise. All you have to do is ... imagine you're going to run." He took up the stance, "Instead of running though, you draw your wings up and bring them down, just as you set off." He did so as an example. He swerved around in mid-air, to face her, "Now, you try."  
"It's alright for you, though, Van, you've lived with them all your life."  
He looked away, "Yeah, be glad you didn't have to, I'd rather die a thousand times than see you go through the same prejudice I went through."  
She took off, if a little shaky, and came up beside him, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that."  
"It's OK" He said, turning back to her, "Just remember that, no matter how lucky you think you are to have wings, in the eyes of normal people, you are a demon sent to terrorize them." She wrapped her arms around him and lay her head on his broad shoulders.  
"I'm so sorry." She whispered. He stroked her back and kissed the top of her head, "It's alright. Just remember though." There had been times when he'd been over joyed to have wings, many of those times, Hitomi would have met her death if he hadn't of been so quick on his wings. Others he cursed, people held grudges against his people, and now they held grudges against her, that was what angered him most.  
He broke away, so he could teach her the next lesson.  
  
She wasn't a bad flier, she didn't look like a duckling at all, to him it was a swan, but that was him being bias. Before long, he had her doing cork screws with him and loops. Unfortunately, he had to leave her to practicing, as a Lord holder meeting had been called. He bid farewell to her and raced off, Escaflowne decided it was time for a nap in the midday sun, so Hitomi was left to herself.  
She stared off at the angel, she wished she could do something to mend his broken heart. He'd been raised in a culture that forbade him to use his wings, ever since he was a child, a culture that circled him out as an outcast, different from others, a demon. She understood how he felt now, she wouldn't be able to were it not for the fact that they were one and the same.  
She turned around in the air and landed on a tree top. She sat there, watching the horizon, the sun, the Mystic Moon. "I love you Van." She whispered, "I love you so much, but we can't be together, we're from two different worlds. I will have to return home soon, but how much time have I got left with you?" A tear ran down her cheek, "Why does it have to be this way? Why can't I be with him?" She was asking fate the questions. Lady fate had brought them together and ripped them apart. Then brought them back together and healed their wounded hearts, but now it looked like She was going to take all of it away again. The tears came freely now and Hitomi buried her head in her arms and knees. The gentle breeze ruffled the leaves loose. As it trailed by her, she thought she could hear it say, "Trust in him. Love will find a way."  
She looked up and whispered into the wind, hoping her prayer would be answered, "I want to be with you again, Van. I don't want anyone but you, I can't."  
  
Van darted down the corridor, he was over joyed that, for once, he had gotten the better of the eight Lord Holders. They'd been ranting on about this for weeks and now he'd been able to shove it back in their faces and shut them up. He opened the door to his rooms and stepped in. The balcony door had been left open, from when he had taken a trip out earlier that afternoon. He felt alive with jubilation and felt like he could face what he had to do, here and now.  
*That's the spirit!* His dragon encouraged.  
He was just about to get changed when he heard something outside. It sounded like singing. It wasn't a happy song, and it wasn't Gaean. (Yes I know this songs from the movie and was sung by Sora, I do not own it and have not got the right to manipulate it like this, please forgive me). It was a heavenly song, despite it's genre. The person singing it was obviously troubled but still had one helluva voice. Strangely, the voice seemed familiar. He decided to go take a look and see who it was.  
"Win dain a lotica   
En vai tu ri ..."  
He stood at the balconies edge, bewildered. It was Hitomi, she was sitting on the side of the fountain, running a hand through it's waters and flapping her wings soothingly in the breeze, singing to the stars and moons.  
"Win chent a lotica  
En vai tu ri ..."  
Her voice was soft and mellow as any angel from the high heavens. Her voice was better than he remembered it from the gather, but the sad tone to it worried him deeply.  
"La la la la la la la la ...  
Fontina blu cent,  
De cravi esca letisimo..."  
He wanted to put a stop to her anguish, he didn't like to see her like this, but something about the song was bewitching to him. Without realizing it he had drawn his wings and was gliding down to the gardens where she sat.  
  
"La la la la la la la la ...  
De quantian  
La finde reve..."  
She trailed off when she heard a dull thud on the ground behind her, she turned to look. The white dragon, Escaflowne stared back at her. *Your voice can bewitch dragons Hitomi.* It said, giving the equivalent of a smile. *You have a nice voice.*  
She heard another thunk behind her, she turned round to her old position. Glistening white wings flowed gracefully out from the arched back of a figure. He'd just landed and was still braced. He drew himself upright, "Hitomi .." He asked, "what's wrong? I never heard you sing like that, it was aslmost bewitching if it weren't for the sad note."  
She stood slowly, she didn't trust her voice right now, but she would have to chance it, she needed to tell him how she felt about him before she had to leave. "Van ... I .. have to ... go." She said between breaths, it was the only thing she could do to keep herself from crying. "I can't stay here ..... But I want you to ..."  
Everything was falling apart for him, she was going back to the Mystic Moon from whence she came. All his plans, his hopes, his dreams were slowly giving in.  
He held out a limp hand, "Hitomi ....." He whispered in anguish.  
"Van, please I don't want ...!" She broke down in sobs. "I don't know if the gate will remain open between our worlds ... I might never be able to see you again." He stood closer to her and enfolded her in his arms, "Hitomi ... no, the gate will stay open." He promised.  
*It will.* the dragon reassured, * My queen will make sure of that.*  
Her head jerked up, "What?" She whispered.  
*The dragon queen is the one who controls the gate between worlds, as long as she, or her blood line remain, the gate will too.*  
She looked into Van's eyes, he'd heard it too.  
"Then I ..."  
"Don't you remember, Hitomi? You can go between worlds as many times as you want!" He remembered something then, "That means, you can ..." He broke away and reached into his pocket.  
He took out the small, blue velvet pouch and held it in his hand. He tipped it upside down and something dropped out, his hand closed around it before she could see.  
There was still hope for them, he realized, it was now or never. He kneeled down on one knee, a fist to the ground and the other, with the item in it, held to his heart. He dropped his wings to the ground, they spread around him. He bowed his head and asked her, "Hitomi Kanzaki, will you marry me and be my queen?" He bowed his head lower, "I promise to protect you with my life." He lifted his head up to meet her gaze, tears were blurring his vision, "Please! I am dead to the world, the only thing that can give back my life is you. If you say no, my life is forfeit." It wasn't a threat, it was the truth, if she said no, his life wouldn't be worth it and he would willingly die. She was the only person who could breath life back into him.  
Hitomi stared, wide eyed, down at the Draconian kneeling before her. He was saying that he would willingly kill himself, a pack that Draconians made and intended to keep. Just like the blood pack, a death pack would last until it saw the result. It was serious for a Draconian to speak these words out loud. She realized that it wasn't a threat to her, personally, but to say that he couldn't bare to suffer, however long, another period without her.  
The slight breeze blew some strands of hair across her face as her hand hovered infront of her mouth.  
"Ever since I first met you, I've wanted no other but you, Hitomi." He added, a little apprehensive.  
"And I, you, Van." She whispered from behind her hand. Her mind was whirling so fast she couldn't make sense of any of it. She didn't know what to do. What should I do? She thought.  
*Say yes!* The dragon commanded.  
"Please!" Van said, weakly and helplessly. "I pledge my life to you."  
She lowered her hand, all of a sudden her wings felt heavy. "Yes." She whispered, under her breath.  
Van's head shot up and he stared at her for a long while, dumbfoundedly. "Yes." She said, a little louder, "I will ... I will marry you, Van."  
He swiftly stood and opened the palm of the hand over his heart, he held it out to her, a boyish grin spread on his face. She looked down at the ring, it was golden, with a design that looked like a serpent biting it's own tail. "It's the sign of eternity." He explained as he held her left hand. "There's no beginning and no end." He slid the ring onto her finger, it fit. He looked down into her emerald eyes.  
"On one condition." She added.   
He frowned, but it melted away and he said, "Name it, and it's yours, my queen." He held her waist to him.  
She folded her arms around his neck, "Never, EVER, get me pregnant again, 'cos if you do, I'll have you castrated!"  
His face turned from playful to utter astonishment, and paled. He stared at her in disbelief. Finally he placed a hand on her stomach, roughly where her womb would soon grow in size, and whispered in awe, "Not you too?" He'd only just heard today that Merle was pregnant with Tirones litter. Now, to hear that, he was going to be a father ...  
Instead of saying something that would do some good he slipped and asked, "Is it mine?"  
Escaflowne groaned *You are unbelievably THICK for a king.*  
She smiled and gave a lilting laugh and said, sarcastically, "NO, it's Allen's!" Her voice turned compassionate, "Of coarse it's yours, Van! Sheeesh, are all   
Draconians like you?"  
He smiled, sensually, "I don't know, but I DO know that on nights when the moons hang full in the sky," He leaned closer, "we can be a very lustful race."   
His breath caressed her lips as he asked, in a hushed tone, "Wanna go for a ride?"  
Rather than have his dragon invade their privacy he folded his wings around her, shutting Escaflowne out of view.  
*Hey!* It protested.  
He held her closer as their lips touched and the spark began anew.  
Her wings were stretched out behind her, waving gently as her body bent   
backwards to receive his kiss. When his head lifted, she whispered, "You give the best rides Van."  
He grinned down at her and asked, in a low murmer, "How was I?" 


	16. the Peace Within

Dragon Burn  
by Amanda Wardropper.  
  
Attention! This chapter is rated 15 years and over, as some scenes are sujestive. Don't blame me if your fragile minds are corrupted, I accept no responsibility over your judgement. OK, you've heard my plea, don't say I didn't warn you....  
The peace within.  
Chapter 15 - New Fanelia, Market, Waterfalls of Sillas.  
  
Several weeks later.  
*She There!* Escaflowne announced.  
Van's ribs were healing fine. The claw marks and gashes were slowly becoming less visible. For now, Misstress Hilcha had insisted that they both keep their bandages on. So, Van had a whole roll wrapped around his torso and shoulder. She said it was to make sure that he didn't go breaking them agian. Not in a hurry, he wouldn't.  
He carried his pack on his back. He wasn't allowed to duel until they were sure he was fit, so, he decided he'd go out and fish. Fall asleep more like it. The pack held his line and pole, some Piskus fruit, at Hilcha's insistance, and bait. Escaflowne wasn't going, it was intending on napping. The dosy command startled Van as he made his way down the steps. It was Autumn now, the leaves were browning and falling from the trees. A whole Summer lost in trying to find a solution to a thousand year old prophecy. He hated prophecy more than anything, now.  
Hitomi looked up from her gaze of the leaves, swirling in the breeze. "Van!" Like himself, Hitomi was suffering broken ribs, and like himself, the rolls of bandage around her chest. The scars were vivid on her face and shoulders, they'd be gone in weeks. She had managed to find a spare shirt, in her bag, after the destruction of her other one. She was wearing that now, along with her denim jeans and trainers.  
"Hitomi, hi!" He cantered down the steps and stopped on the one she was sitting on.  
She sniggered as she looked him over, "What on earth are you carrying?"  
"I'm going fishing! Seen as I can't go dueling." He muttered.  
"Fishing?" She scoffed, "Falling asleep more like it!"  
"The exact thought!" He replied. "You wanna come and fall asleep too? You look as bored as I am."  
She smiled, "I'd like that."  
He returned her grin in earnest, "C'mon then, I'm going to the market first." The day was warm, despite the season. It always was, near the equator. They were a ways off it, but close enough to benefit in the climate. But the Winter snow would be coming all too soon.  
  
They walked side by side, not saying a word. It wasn't that they weren't speaking to each other, just a silence that needed no disturbance, all was calm, no interfierance. It didn't take them long to reach the market place. The market was packed in the midday sun. They made their way through the abundance of crowds to the fruit stalls. Van stopped at one in particular and tested a strange, apple looking fruit. "You want one?" He asked.  
"What are they?"  
"They're Argana nuts. You wanna try one?" Obviously they didn't have this fruit on the Mystic Moon.  
She shrugged, "If it doesn't make you break out in green blotches, I guess it can't do me that much harm, sure!"  
He grabbed two. Being king was an advantage sometimes. You got free food. He twirled the fruit on a finger, a well practiced art in his injured weeks, and knocked it off an elbow, "Here, catch!"  
"Show off!" She caught the fruit in two hands. He grinned at her and took a big bite out of his Argana nut. Following his example she took a smaller one. It was sweet, definately an Earth apple.  
They walked onwards, past numerous stalls. "Exactly where are we going?" Hitomi asked.  
"To a place I know."  
"Yeah, but where is that?"  
He shrugged, "A place where the fish should be flocking to." He wasn't going to tell her, she knew.   
She finished her 'Earth apple', "So, I remember you saying to me, that you were going to run in an athletic competition. How fast can you run?" She was in a playful mood today, unlike the depressive ones she'd been going through a week ago.  
He grinned knowingly as he ate the last of the fruit, "Fast enough."  
"Even with a pack on your shoulder?"  
He nodded, "I bet I could run faster than you."  
"Try it."  
"Kay! You asked for it!" He darted off at speed.  
"Hey!" She lept into action beside him.  
They ran down the steep alley ways of the town. Hitomi negociated turns and the steep fall. Moving swiftly from side to side, dodging obstacles, in no time she came up behind Van. He was finding it harder on account of the pack on his back, but nontheless, gave it his all.  
He glanced over at her and smiled slyly, "You do know where you're going, don't you?" Realisation set in her, "You don't even know which way to turn."  
"Cheat!"   
His smile widened and he shook his head, a little fun never hurt nobody, "Playboy!"  
She flicked his ear, "If I ever see that little cow again, she'll not live to see another of those Gaean sunsets!"  
"OOOO, touchy arn't we, today?" He kept on baiting her.  
"No! .... in the lead!" She darted forward and gained the first place. She stopped at a cross roads and turned back to him sheepishly, "Em ... which way?"  
"This!" He kept on a straight line, heading away from the town. She followed his lead.  
They had left the town now and were on a country road, between the fields and forest patches. They still ran sure footed amoung the dirt and gravel, both agile and equaly fast.  
"Watch out for the pot holes!" He called back to her. "Woahhhh!" His foot stuck in the small ditch he had been trying to warn Hitomi of. He fell face first into the dirt.  
Gathering himself up he glanced up at her, running past him.  
She waved, "And another one bites the dust." She giggled.  
He picked himself up with a determined grin. "I'll show you dust! Mine!"  
He ran a pace, dilliberately, slower than her, watching the sway of her hips, as she bolted down the dirt path, and the shirt she wore, flapping in the breeze.  
In almost no time they reached sparse forest areas among the fields of farmland.  
"Not far now!" Van called, still behind her. He had had enough of holding back on her, letting her think she was in the lead, so he began to gain speed.  
The sun shone down on them, breaking in the forests they passed. For an Autumn day, it was warm, with only a few clouds hanging in the sky. The day promised to get better as the two moons hung fairly big infront of a deep blue background.  
Finally, he spotted what he was looking for, a patch of dense forest, too thick for anyone to bother attempting to violate it's presence. Only he knew the entrance to this desert oasis.  
"This way!" He corrected her as she took a wrong turning, costing her the lead in their race. They ran around the entire forest perimeter until he spotted the familiar gap. "Found it." He said to himself. About time, the pack was getting heavy on his tired shoulders. Although he was fit enough to run and sword fight, the castle's staff wouldn't let him, fearing he might do more damage than good to his healing bones and injuries. He bolted to the left and dived into the thin walkway into the oasis. Hitomi followed, timidly, unsure of where she was, but trusting him. She had already lost the race fair and square so she could afford to take her time.  
As Van erupted from the undergrowth he gave a sigh of relief, gazing out at the special oasis. This forest joined onto the main one and ran up to the mountains, few people knew of the waterfall here. Infact, no-one ventured this far out, normally. The sound of running water and birds singing in the Autumn sun, before they migrated, brought a smile to his face. This place was paradise. It had taken them an hour and a half to get here, but it was well worth it just to sit and enjoy the scenery. The graceful bows of wind whistle, near the lake's shore, and the sound of it's leaves russling in the calm breeze, only to snap off and drift away. He heard her coming through the foiliage and gasping at the beauty of this place. The lake was in the center of the glorious oasis and above that was a gaping hole in the forest canopy, where the suns rays infultrated the forest darkness and brightened it, showing all of it's astounding beauty. The waterfall ran high up to the river that flowed down from the mountains. He was slightly dissapointed to see that the rainbow, usually there, was absent today, but the morning glory, a white bird that nested exclusively around these forests, were coming out in small flocks.  
Van sat the pack down near the lake shore and began untying the fishing rod from it. Hitomi walked around the parimeter of the sparkling waters, looking in awe at the awsome sight and power of the water cascading down the over hang.  
"Van, what sort of fish would live at the bottom of a waterfall?" It didn't happen like that on Earth.  
"Hmm? Oh, em ... Barracooda. It's a fish that leaps whole waterfalls about this time to reach it's breeding grounds. That's all I know, apart from the fact that it makes one helluva dish!" He grinned wryly at her. With an effort he tugged the rod free and grabbed the bait from inside the pack. He meandered down to the waters and positioned the rod in some stones, while he attached the bait. "Hitomi?" He asked. She looked his way, "What's it like on Earth?" He paused, reminising, "The last time I saw it, I didn't have much time, 'cos I was fighting a Dragon or in the back yard of your grandmothers."  
She came and sat down beside him, drapping her arms over her knees, "Well, it's alot like Gaea, if you think about it. Only, instead of castles and palaces, we have huge skyscrapers, they're buildings that have hundreds of floors. We have houses, much like the ones here and markets and shops too. We don't have beast men or women though. We have pets, like you, and wild creatures. There's only one moon in our skies." She pointed to the smaller of the two moons in the sky, "With the exception of those that have been to Gaea."  
"Hundreds of floors ....?" He repeated to himself, "How do they build them?"  
"I don't know that much, unfortunatly, I'm not an Einstien in building work or circuitry. But I guess they just build one floor on top of the other." She smiled to herself, "You'd love the night life, though. On a night time, all the streets and towns are filled with thousands of lights to light the way for pedestrians. We also use different coloured lights for festivals and celebrations. We make patterns with them, logos and stuff like that. When you watch from a high hill, the city looks beautiful, all those tiny specks of light, glistening in the darkness like thousands of tiny jewels."  
He glanced out at the, ever moving, waters of the lake, imagining the sight for himself. "It sounds like a perfect world."  
She sniggered, "Far from it, we have thugery and other crimes like that more than you would have, say, in Fanelia, in a whole year."  
"Oh...."  
"Ah, it's nothing, as long as you carry your pepper spray with you, wherever you go." Realizing that he wouldn't know what that was, she described it to him in brief words, "If it get's in your eyes, it stings like hell."  
After a while, he stood up and cast the line out into the middle of the lake, returning the rod to it's stand in the pebbles and sitting down to wait for a bite. He tore off a blade of grass, near him and stuck it in his mouth to chew on, while he lay back, using his arms as pillows.  
They talked for a little while longer before falling silent, content to just listening to the soothing rythum of water, surging down the cliff face.  
Hitomi reached over to grab a twig and began pealing away the bark. "Van?" He raised an eye brow in question, as he continued to watch the line, over his chest. "Will you teach me how to fight?"  
The blade of grass fell from between his teeth and he looked at her, the frown deepening, "What do you mean, teach you how to fight?"  
"How to fight ..." She shrugged, "with a sword."  
"What? Why?"  
She shrugged again, "I guess I just like hearing your voice, and I like challenges." She put in sharply, blushing slightly.  
He glanced back at the line and rod, contemplating. A smile crossed his lips, "You're gonna need a bigger sword than that twig, I hope you know."  
  
Van lunged forward, at her, his sword sweeping the ground at his side as his momentum carried him, increasingly, faster.  
Hitomi yelped and skipped to one side, narrowly avoiding the sharp blade. Unfortunatly, she backed straight into a tree. Panting heavily she ran through the possible escape routes, in her mind, that Van had taught her. Her own sword was becoming heavier in her grip, she had to end it now and kill him. A plan began forming in her head, if she could, at the last moment, strike him as he rushed her, it would kill him, she would have to be moving, though, to pull it off. He was almost on her, she had to act now, or be killed. She decided to put the plan into action. At lightning speed, she darted forward, towards the oncoming Van. Her sword held out infront of her, she ducked her head between her arms and prayed it would work, or else he would get her. She felt the blade contact with flesh. She heard the unmistakable cry of pain. When the moment passed, she swiftly turned around to inspect the damage. Van's body turned in mid stride and fell into the patch of leaves. The golden foliage burst out from beneath him, as he hit the floor, and floated away on the breeze. He lay with his hands covering the wound she had dealt.  
"Alright!!!!" She cried, jumping around the battle arena, laughing in joy. "I got you! I finally killed you, Van! That's, like, the first time in .... twenty odd battles!" She stopped and looked back to his body, lying limp on the floor, "Van?" She walked cautiously over to his body and knelt down beside him. "Van?"  
In a flash she felt a sharp point on her side. Without opening his eyes and grinning smugly, he spoke, "Big mistake! You should never return to a fallen enemy. You only grazed me."  
She blushed in frustration, "No fair! I killed you fair and square! You're dead!" She jabbed the point of the wind whistle wood training sword in his side for emphasis.  
They had been at it for most of the afternoon. Van had taught her how to weild a sword, using two wooden ones, rather than his real one, which now lay at the side of his pack, still in it's sheath. However, whenever she tried to get the better of him it always seemed to blow up in her face when he whirled around to plant the tip in her side. As the day wore on she had, progressively, got better and more able to keep a battle going for longer. For the first time today, she had gotten the better of him, using only the basics that he'd taught her. She wasn't going to be denied her victory.  
His smile grew and he opened his eyes, "Alright! So you got me! Just don't get too carried away. I still have some healing to do! I don't need a sword in my side."  
"Awwww bless, do I mean that much to you?" She turned his speech around for the joke. It sounded alot like an Earth saying, 'thorn in my side'.  
Without saying a word he put a hand on her shoulder. He wasn't wearing his gauntlets today, they were for when he was meant to be practicing. As he sat up, he pushed her onto the ground with it, pinning her solidly to the grassy floor. She held onto his arms, feeling the muscles in them conract. She gazed longingly into his eyes, the magic that was in them had now died down alot, and, with a bit of time, would probably fade away completely. Right now, though, they were filled with a, long time, witheld lust. "Why, I do believe that the king of Fanelia is getting carried away with himself, you weren't that hard to beat."  
Seeming to come out of a trance he blinked down at her. "Oh! Sorry!" He managed to say, through the swallowing. His adams apple rose up and down furiously.  
"Oh, come on, Van. I won't break, I promise. I'm not some sort of vase, that you put on a high pedestal, in the fear it might be smashed."  
"But ... I might hurt you." They both had alot of healing left to be done, he didn't want to undo it.  
"I promise I won't break." Suddenly, they heard a short rustle, in the bushes, and a quiet 'meow'. Van sat up straighter, looking over to where the noise had come from. He smiled, offhandedly. A moment later, after thinking it through, he called out, "Tirone! I know you're there, ya little noser!" He waited for an answer. None came. He stood up and wandered over to the fishing rod, which he'd taken out of the water when they were training.  
Hitomi sat up on one elbow and watched him. Bending the pole, he tied the line to the other end, to make a makeshift bow. He twanged the string to make sure it was tight enough. When it reached his standard he picked up his wooden sword, which he had discarded in an instant of passion. He nocked the wooden sword on a finger, held to the bow. Concerntrating, he edged the line of sight to where he thought the white catboy was. When he found it, he let only a moment pass before sending the piece of wood through the air. A second later they heard a catlike squeal before seeing the unmistakable tail of a cat person. Tirone darted out from the bush, to avoid the arrow.  
"Hey! What was that for?" He asked in a rage.  
"For spying on us!" Van replied, simply.  
"I wasn't. I was just ..... just ...."  
Van cocked his head, "I'll give you five seconds to high-tail it outta here!"  
"But!" Tirone protested.  
"Five ..."  
"But..."  
"Four ..... three .... two ....."  
"Oh, alright! Geez! I'm as good as gone." He added sarcastically, "Your Heiness!"  
Van smiled, "One ....." He bent down and picked up the small tub, which held the live bait for the fishes. Arching an eyebrow he opened the lid, putting the bow down.  
"Em Van? You do know that I ...." Tirone hated bugs and worms, especially live ones. Van simply nodded.  
"Are you going to go and keep this a little secret between the three of us? Or do I have to let these worms persuade you?"  
In a complete change of attitude, Tirone answered, "Of coarse I'll keep it a secret. I mean you're my best bud! Did I ever tell you that, Van?"  
"You're rambling, Tirone."  
"Oh yeah! So I am...... Well be seeing ya!" He turned swiftly on his feet and bounded off at a speed, thought impossible for him. He had good reason to, where bugs and worms were concerned.  
Van grinned triumphantly. Hitomi just blinked as she stared after the white shape of the catboy, dissapearing over a hillock and into the undergrowth.  
After making sure that the catboy had actually left, Van tightened the seal on the bait and stuffed it back in the pack. He turned back to her and smiled lazily. Walking towards her, he asked, "So ... where were we up to?" She returned his grin, but it falted when he stopped, over her, and knelt down. In a fluid movement he swept her up in his arms.  
"Van, what are you doing!?!" She frantically tried to struggle against him.  
"Seeing how long it is before you break." He carried her to a grassy overhang, leading straight into the water.  
"Oh, no, Van! No!" She drolled as he stood at the edge.  
His grin widened, "I hear cold water is good for injuries." She squealed as he launched her into the air. With a resounding splash, she crashed into the icy waters. The spray hit him full on, but he only flinched. She came back up for air.  
"I hate you, Van Fanel. Those were my best jeans!"  
"They'll dry." He cocked his head to one side and smirked.  
"That's it! I'll wipe that smile off your face!" She swam back to the lake edge and grabbed his ankle with a slippery hand. She yanked with all her might. The foot left it's stable earth and sailed through the air. Following behind, his whole body lost it's balance and began it's descent into the cold waters.  
The after math and waves lapped the edge of the lake. She knew where he had went down, but he wasn't coming back up. "Van?" She waited, but no answer came, "Van, if this is one of your jokes ....!" She was cut off when a hand covered her mouth and dragged her backwards. She whirled round, splashing him. "Hey!" He dived back under before she could do anymore.  
She frantically looked around her, determined not to fall for his trick again. He surfaced near the waterfall. Surprisingly, the water wasn't as icy as she had thought. It was bearable.  
She dived under and swam closer, until she could see his legs, tredding water, while on the surface he searched for her. She grinned as she grabbed one and pulled him under. She swam, casually, away as he regained his senses.  
No idea where they had ended up, in an under water chase, they surfaced to find that they were just under the smaller waterfall, which broke off from the main one higher up. It was on a ledge, a small step above the deep abyss beneath. They gropped for it and footing.   
They stood, waist deep in water, gasping for breath and dripping wet. Their shirts clung to them like a second skin. Van ran a hand back through his hair, combing the forelock, that hung over his eyes, back and grinned at her, still catching his breath.  
"Van." She whispered, "I didn't tell you this, while we were healing, but I'm so glad that the dark magic in you has diminished."  
He frowned, "What dark magic?"  
"Well .... before we joined with Rangerath ... when you were about to .... infront of that dragon ..." He knew what she was talking about, when he had tried to commit suicide, via a forest dragon. " and you killed it ...using nothing but .... some kind of magic." She paused, seemingly to relive the memory, "I was so scared, when you looked at me ... the dark magic was in you, I could see it. I thought that it might kill you .... or, by the way you looked at me ... kill me."  
Realization set in. When he had been angry at being forbade to kill himself, he had, involuntarily, turned that anger on her, in the form of the dragons gift. Dark magic. He waded closer to her and drew her into his embrace, "I'm so sorry, Hitomi. .... I would never .... not on purpose."  
"I know." She confided on his shoulder, "I knew that it wasn't you, but the Knight of Dragons that was staring back at me then."  
"I would rather die, Hitomi, than hurt you. You know that."  
"I know." She gazed up at him. "Van, I don't want anyone else, but you. Never." Without realising what he was doing, he kissed her. He backed away a little, but returned to her warm breath when she ran a hand through his hair, clenching it, drawing his head back to her. It made every fibre in his being ache for her again.  
The constant pounding of water on their bodies was but a speck of reality at the back of their minds. Only two things existed in their immediate vicinity. Each other.  
He wrapped an arm around the small of her back and stroked it, as he ran his other hand down the front of her shirt, deftly undoing the buttons as he went. She relenquished her grip on him and let the shirt drape down and off her hands. He slung it away, to the back of the waterfall. She pulled away from his lips. "Van, where are you slinging the clothes?" She giggled at his tingling caresses.  
"Cave. At the back of the waterfall." He answered against her skin, as he trailed his kisses down her front. He gestured briefly before returning his hand to her back.  
He stopped abruptly and looked up. "Oh no." He shut his eyes tight and whinced at the pain. The sound of his shirt being torn to sheds and echoing through his ear drums only confirmed the fact that his wings had been released. He released her, "Hey! What are you laughing at?" She was in tears as she laughed. "Hey, I can't help it! Why does it never happen to you?"  
"Because ...." She managed to say, between bouts of unbridled laughter, "It's funnier ... when it's a lad!" He just scowled and folded his arms. "Oh come on, Van! See the funny side of it!"  
"It's not funny!"  
She calmed her laughter down, for his benefit, and walked through the water, to him. "Yes it is!" She called, as she pounced on him. He was knocked over and fell on the shallower ledge next to the one they had been standing on. She landed at his side and curled up beside him.   
"Arrrrgh!!!! Hitomi! You know I hate my wings rubbed the wrong way!" He cried as she ran a hand up against his feathers.  
"Oh, I forgot." She said, innocently.  
"With the feathers! With them, for Gods sake!" He begged, as she deliberately continued.The small waterfall, seemed to, ceased to exist, with the wings diverting the falling water.  
To a Draconian, this was like getting kicked in the groin, it really hurt. He grabbed her shoulders and pushed her away. Panting for breath and trying to get over the pain he pleaded, "No ..... no more .... please." He smiled through the pain. "How would you like it if I did that to you?" She grinned, his faulted, "Wrong question!" He lowered his head and sighed.   
She lifted his chin up, so their eyes met. A mischevious grin spread across her face.  
"What?" He asked, a little self concious now.  
She shook her head, "Nothing."  
A half smile formed on his lips, "There is, I can tell." He ran a hand up her back.  
"Well .... it is kindda cold in this water. Can we go into that cave you talked about?"  
  
The gathering darkness engulfed them into the void. Their cries and screams echoed against the overhangs, the trees and the stone. Echoed and sent ripples, undetected, through the glasslike water. Bodies, arched at improbable angles, and sweat, cold as Winter's first, bitter snow. Emotions as strong as the suns first rays on life, pain, pleasure, thundered across the desert oasis, resounding back and forth, wild and furious, uncontrolled. Stallions with no masters, wild as nature intended them to be. The power of the stars and wild euphoria drove them on.  
The forbiden love.  
  
Just before dawn.  
"Van?" She whispered. She could feel his warmth on her back and his arms wrapped around her. As she got her bearings she could make out that it was still dark outside, the sound of rushing water rang in her ears. As constant as it was, she never registered it at all, through the night. She shivered, the cold had finally got to her. That's probably why he managed to recover her shirt. It felt stuffy in the small cave, despite the temperature. Her hair felt stiff and frigid, from the drying sweat. Her limbs throbbed with a dull pain and her chest, where her broken ribs had been, ached. She was curled up, beneath one of his wings, which rested on her shoulder. It wasn't working, to keep her warm. She shifted her weight onto her back, pins and needles shot up her shoulder, until feeling was restored. "Van?" The lazy git was fast asleep, even with a whole waterfall thundering through his head. She prodded his shoulder, "Come on! Wake up, Lover Boy!" No answer. She heaved a sigh. "Alright, you asked for it! I'll just have to .... em let me see ... how about stroke your wings..." She grinned menacingly.  
Wearily, his eyes slowly opened, "What?" He groggely asked.  
"Oh! So it is alive!"  
He groaned, "Don't start. My heads spinning."  
"Probably the fact that you've had a waterfall in your head for well over ..." She glanced outside, "Half the night."  
"Maybe." A little of his normal attitude returned. "I'm sure we got something with water and lakes." He removed his arm from around her and began hoisting himself up. When he had finished propping himself up on an elbow he stared at her, a lazy smile on his face.  
"Morning." She said. Her expression turned serious, "Van, shouldn't we be getting back to the castle now? They might be worried about you."  
He dismissed it with a wave of his free hand, "Knowing Tirone, nobody knows but Jason by now. They'll come up with an excuse for me. We got the whole morning, before they start charging me for there help." He put in slyly.  
She shifted to her other side and ran a hand down his chest. The scars weren't fully healed and were still visible, as was the bruises. "You promised me, that you would show me a Gaean sunrise, aswell as a sunset. I've seen the sunset ... what about the sunrise?" She glanced up at him.  
"For you, Hitomi, I'd turn day into night." He looked outside, past the waterfall. "We got an hour before dawn."  
"Great!" She stretched and yawned against him, "That means I can get ready and get warm." She rubbed her hands together before beginning to get up. She wandered over to Van's pack and sword, where he'd stashed the rest of their clothes. She snatched up his trousers and slung them at him, "So can you!" She pulled on her own.  
When they were dressed, Van began pawing through the pack. "What are you looking for?" She asked, from the ledge she was sitting on, fixing the cuffs to her shirt.  
"My spare shirt." He dug deeper and pulled out a huge bundle of white material. "Here it is!" He unraveled it and straightened it. It turned out to be a shirt. "Catch!" He threw something yellow at her, that was wraped up in the shirt he now wore. She caught it and pulled a face. Piskus fruit.  
"Ugh!"  
He broke into his, "Ahh, it's not that bad. You wanna try tonekan weed in a herbal tea." He pulled a face, "Now that is sour!"  
"I think this is sour enough for me." She said, as she plunked a straw into it.  
When she had finished she asked, "Alright! I've taken my medicine, now can we go out!?!"  
He fixed the leather baldric of his sword around his waist and slung the pack on his back. "Here, I don't want you getting ill on me again!" He threw his leather jacket at her, which had been stuffed, along with other things, in the pack. She didn't bother putting her arms through, just fastened it at the neck.  
The two walked out from behind the waterfall. He held her close with an arm around her shoudlers. She leaned into him. It was a complete change from the first night they had spent together.  
Pulling away from her, he leapt onto a rocky overhang and held a hand out to her.  
Scaling the cliff face was easier than either had thought and pretty soon they were standing on the edge, looking out to a lavender horizon, as the leading edge of the sun rose up on the mountain ranges around Fanelia. They were stood, hand in hand, on the verge of an overhang, watching the sky turn from blue, to violet, to lavender, to red. She drew herself deeper into the leather jacket and leaned onto his shoulder. "It's beautiful." She whispered.  
In a sudden burst of colour, the sky was lit by thousands of rays of light, spreading across the fields and casting elongated shadows. She glanced up at him, he was grinning, the sparks of the sun and the night before, flickering and dancing in his eyes.   
"Fanelia, and the whole of Gaea, will see a new dawn again." He began. He looked into her eyes, "And it's all thanks to you, Hitomi."  
She returned her gaze to the spectical infront of her and shook her head, "It wasn't me, Van. It was destiny."  
"I hate prophecies."  
"I hate destiny, the only thing good about it was letting me be with you .... for however long." They stood quiet for a while, thinking over that fact. Soon, she would have to go back to Earth and the pain would start over again, ten fold.  
The gathering dawn spread around the surrounding countryside and forests. In the distance, they could make out the high turrets and walls of New Fanelia's castle, the stone work vaguely lit by the firey sun.  
"Hitomi ... I don't want you to .... I want you to ..." He sighed, helplessly. Who was he to tell her what she could and couldn't do? If you loved something, you would let it have it's freedom. "I love you.... Never doubt that." It was all he could say.  
"I know, I won't .... I love you too." She closed her arms around his waist and held on tightly. "I'll never forget."  
He smiled offhandedly as he rubbed her back. The sun was almost up, the clouds surrounding it were lit with an orangey hue. "I don't ever want to let this moment pass."  
*But it has to!* They stood up straight at the voice they both heard. *Where are you? They wouldn't let me go to you!* It was Escaflowne. *I was worried.*  
"We're fine, Escaflowne." Van said to his dragon. "Who wouldn't let you find us?" He asked, whoever it was, did a good job, he just wanted to humour the white beast.  
*White catboy and The One.*  
They frowned at each other. "The One? Who is that, Escaflowne?" Hitomi asked.  
*The One!* The dragon answered, as though they were both dumb.  
"We know that, but who is that?" Van said.  
*The One.* Van sighed in agitation, this dragon only knew two names. Van and Hitomi. Everyone else, he spoke of their brief descriptions, like catboy, would be Tirone. The One was just another description, of which they didn't have the foggiest.  
*Can I come for you now?* The dragon asked timidly. *I felt great emotions eminating from you both. I was worried.*  
Van blushed. "Great! Not only have I got a whole castle watching over me, but now I've got a dragon constantly hanging over me!" He grumbled.  
*I am sorry. I will not come if you don't want me to.* It whimpered.  
Hitomi slapped Van's shoulder. He recoiled with a yelp. "Van! Can't you see that you're hurting Escaflowne's feelings? Have you no sympathy?"  
"What do you mean?" He asked, holding his shoulder.  
"Think about it! The poor thing has just come here, to be your blood partner, for life, he's doing his best to please you and make you proud of him, and you just don't want to know. He's here to help, not be a burden."  
He grunted, "Oh great! I'm in love with an empath!" He apologized when she threatened him with another slap. "Alright! Geeeez! OK Escaflowne, you can come for us." He relented.  
*Where are you? I need a picture.*  
"OH for crying out ...!"  
*That'll do, thank you Hiromi.*  
He stared blankly at her. "It's OK Escaflowne. OH, and it's Hitomi, not Hiromi."  
The white Dragon burst into the air infront of them with a triumphant bellow. 


	17. Epilogue

Dragon Burn  
By Amanda Wardropper  
  
Epilogue.  
Four months later ...  
  
Hitomi stood on the grey box, in front of a tall mirror, watching Merle, Madam Hilcha, the head cook, and several other members of the palace staff dash around her, pinning up the beautiful, flowing wedding dress she now wore. The lump on her stomach was getting, ever so slightly, visible over the past month or so. She'd been so busy arranging and sending invites to her friends and family, asking them to come to a traditional Fanelian wedding, she hadn't noticed. Van had and, on the few occasions they got to spend the night together, he had pointed it out.  
She ran her hands across it now as she watched herself in the mirror. That's what they were doing now, trying to hide it. Today was, to her, one of the most important in her life. Today was the wedding. Earlier on she used the method of the white light to bring her guests here. At the minute, her mother, grandmother, cousin Jessica and her best friend, Yukari were busy helping out with the dress. Her father was waiting outside, to escort her and her brother was fitting in with Van, Jason and Tirone. She'd given him the pendant, for now, so he could understand them.  
Last month saw the wedding of Merle and Tirone. Like herself, the lump on Merle was also visible. But it didn't stop her from 'making sure everything was perfect for her Lord Van.'  
"Hitomi!" Merle broke her out of her thoughts. "Stop fidgeting and move your hands out of the way!" She obeyed without hesitation. Her 'Earthling' friends were taking care of her hair, whereas the Gaeans were treating the dress.  
Merle had agreed to be a bridesmaid along with Yukari and Jessica. They were all ready and raring to go. She smiled to herself, not long now ...  
  
Van was standing beside Hitomi's younger brother, Andrew. They were outside where the wedding was going to take place.  
"Where is she?" He asked under his breath, to no-one in particular. The 'butterflies' in his stomach were getting worse.  
"Leave it to girls to be late." Andrew replied. He was younger and alot smaller than Jason and himself. But Van liked him. He was everything a younger brother should be, mischievous, cheeky and all. The only reason they could understand each other was via the pendant. It worked the same way for Hitomi, he thought.  
He watched as the sea of guests chatted among themselves. He recognized Hitomi's grandmother, and guessed that Hitomi's mother was sitting next to her.  
"I hope she hurries up! I hate wearing a crown!" He grumbled. He was dressed in his royal finery, which was, in fact, pretty simple. Black trousers, with shoes to match. A white shirt with ruffles on the cuff and down the cut of the buttons. A black blazer and a royal blue cape with gold trim. His sword draped at his hip and, of course, the Fanelian crown sat proudly on his head.  
"Huh?" He snapped his head up from his view of the ground when he heard the crowd quieted and the band begin to play. This was it.  
There, in the doorway, lit by the glowing sun high up in the sky, was his bride-to-be and her father.  
The twelve knight Arkayls saw it fit to join the ceremony and give a twelve sword salute. Allen Schezar was there, no doubt he was the one who pulled it together, and his friend, Jason was proudly standing in among the row of knights, in full uniform, having just received his place the previous month.  
One by one each sword was drawn and held high in salute as Hitomi and her father strode down the aisle. Her bridesmaids, Merle, Yukari and Jessica followed. They were all in pink dresses, Merle didn't look too impressed. Hitomi was in the traditional white. The dress and vale billowing out behind her and the arrangement of white flowers held in her hands.  
*Wooohooo!* The white dragon called to him from above as he circled the grounds and bellowed his salutes. Van still wasn't used to communicating with a dragon telepathically.  
  
Hitomi glanced at the dragon in the sky, no body else seemed to hear his speech. Who cared, she was getting married!  
Her heart skipped when she reached the end of the walkway and was standing infront of the priest. Her father unlocked their arms and went to sit beside her mother in the front row. She glanced to Van, who stood next to her, he was grinning boyishly.   
Merlle had went through it with her countless numbers of times, she knew exactly what to do.  
As the priest began speaking they both knelt down. She, on both, and he on just one, with the matching arm of the hitched one across his abdomen. The other was a fist on the ground. Both their heads were bowed to the ground.  
They exchanged the vows and rings then stood so Van could place the queens crown on her head.  
"... You may kiss the bride."  
Van lifted her vale from her face for the final sealing of the vows they promised to guard. He held her tightly as they kissed, not wanting to let go so soon.  
  
"Ok! Who want's to see the happy couple have the first dance!?!" Jason shouted over the vast crowd. He stood between them, arms draped around their shoulders.  
  
After the celebrations and the dancing, Van called Escaflowne from it's vantage point on the castles roof. When it landed the crowd scattered, avoiding the dust that the huge beast up lifted on it's down strokes. Van jumped on to the massive fore leg and on to the back. He helped his new queen up behind him and took hold of the flying straps he had made to fit the beast. "You ready?" He called back to her.  
"Ready as I'll ever be."   
The white dragon reared as it bellowed a challenge to the crowd. Before they could take off, Hitomi threw the bunch of flowers to the sea of faces. A young maid caught them and turned to embrace her lover, also a member of palace staff.  
Hitomi held her arms tight around his waist and pressed her head against his warm back.  
"Not far, I'm afraid. But it's better than nothing." He said as they approached the balcony to Van's chambers, their chambers.  
"I don't care, as long as you're with me."  
He landed on the balcony first and held a hand out to her as she slid down the neck ridges.  
"Thanks, Escaflowne, you can go bask in, what's left, of the sun." The dragon obeyed his blood partner.  
In true gentleman style, Van swept her off her feet and carried her in through the balcony door. He laid her down on the four post bed and lay on his side, next to her, one hand propping his head up so he could gaze in to her eyes.  
"I can take this off now." He tugged the crown off and placed it on the table to his back. "I hate wearing crowns."  
She did the same, "I know what you mean now."  
"It's all over, I guess happy endings DO happen." He sighed, a little bewildered.  
She ran a hand down his shirt as she curled up beside him, "I can't believe how lucky I was a year ago."  
He clasped her hand before it could stray any further, "Hitomi, we can't ... not with you like this."  
She smiled sweetly as she buried her face into his chest, "I know, can you blame a girl for trying?"  
He smiled, lovingly, running a hand down her pronounced stomach, "You, I can." He lowered his head to kiss her, but stopped, something had just kicked his hand. He kissed the nape of her neck, but it didn't last long, the kick came again. "I guess it doesn't wnat me touching it's mother." He took his hand away.  
"It just wants to share the experience." She held his hand back to her.  
  
They stayed up all night, talking, until they reached that hazy place between conscious thought and dreams. They were brought back with a thud when they heard a voice outside their door.  
"Lord Van! Hitomi! Where are you? The people are wanting a speech!" The muffled cry of Merle called.  
They turned and stared at each other, "Merle!" they whispered in unison. They stumbled and fumbled to get up. Too late. Hitomi clutched Van's shirt to her bare chest and they both called out, reaching hands out in a feeble attempt to stop what, inevitably, was about to happen.  
"Merle, no! Don't come in! We're not decen ..."  
The door swung open.  
"Shards!" Three voices from three very embarrassed people entered the morning air.  
  
Three Months later.  
"Van! Van!" A breathless Tirone scuttled up the drain pipe and onto the roof, where Van was basking in the morning sun.  
He sat up with a start, "Tirone, what's wrong?" The catboy stood infront of him.  
"It's ... It's Hitomi and Merle ... they've went into labor, together!"  
Van stood up straight, "What!"  
"They're in the infirmary with Millerna, Jason and I were sent to get you. Jason's outside your door."  
Van slid as fast as he could down the roof, "What are you waiting for?" He called back. The catboy jumped and bounded, on all fours, to his side.  
Van caught the guttering and swung, sharply, onto the balcony, Tirone dropping behind him.  
They dashed out of the door and ran down the corridor, Jason leapt to a run beside him.  
"Where is she?" Van asked.  
"Infirmary, third door on your right." Jason answered.  
Van grunted an acknowledgement and speeded up, gaining ground infront of them.  
"Wait up!" Jason and Tirone called to him.  
It took forever to get to the infirmary, by the time they entered, they could hear the screams and cries down the corridor.  
"Hitomi!" Van cried out as he dashed down, following the cries. "I'm coming!"  
When they reached the door, the screams were deafening. A maid stood before it and held a hand out in warning, "I'm sorry, Lord Van, but I can't let you through, yet."  
"What do you mean ....!" He was about to rip her head off but she fixed him with a hard glare and he sunk back. She pointed to a set of chairs and told them to wait there. He sighed in resignation and motioned the other two to sit down aswell.  
  
It had been hours and Van was seriously nearing insanity. He sat, head clasped in his hands, wincing at every scream that came from the room infront of the three men. Escaflowne was awake now and, to Van's utter astoundment, could feel every dash of pain either him or Hitomi felt. The screams outside and inside his head were driving him to the brink.  
Jason and Tirone were worried, they couldn't feel the dragons pain like Van could, but they could hear it's bellows outside in the courtyard.  
For an hour, or so, Van and Escaflowne's link was proving a problem. The blood pack allowed them to feel the others pain. So, Escaflowne felt Hitomi's pain and therefore, so did Van.  
He couldn't feel where the pain was, exactly, it was just there. The maid at the door was now at his side, trying to do something, but to no avail.  
Suddenly, a pang of pain gripped all three in the mind link. The human screams echoed down the corridor and the dragon's, in the courtyard and around it. Then all fell silent, except for Van's ragged breathing as he strained to keep from going insane.  
The maid stood up and walked over to the door. She opened it a crack and looked in, conversing quietly with others inside. When her face turned to the small group, it was ashen.  
Van looked up, "Wha ... what happened?" He asked in a weak, hoarse voice.  
"I'm sorry ..." the young maid said softly.  
"What? What's wrong?" His voice was a little louder as he lifted himself off the chair, "Please ... tell me!"  
The maid swallowed hastily, "Wait here." She squeezed through the door and closed it after her. It opened slightly again and she added, "We'll do our best to save both."  
"What do you mean?" The door slammed shut before he reached it. He stood there in a daze.  
"Van, I'm ..." Jason offered sympathy.  
"No!" Van whispered, "No. This ... can't happen." He beat his fists against the door and cried out on the verge of tears, "No, Hitomi!!!!" The cry dragged on for a long time before he fell to his knees. He started to whimper and cry. The king of Fanailia, a man who defeated an empire, brought to his knees and crying uncontrollably. How ironic. He thought sourly.  
He was racked by a sudden wave of pain and he screamed louder than he had ever done. It threatened to suffocate him. But, then it stopped abruptly. He breathed hard, sucking in much needed air. He sat there, gasping for breath and sweat dripping into his eyes and off his nose. He beat his fists against the door again in a rage. Why? I can't lose her now!   
About half an hour past, of which, most of it, he spent staring at the door. Occassionally he would beat his fists against it and cry out in frustration.  
The door swung open, catching him off guard. He fell on his face. Jason leapt to help him and Tirone jumped over his back to get to Merle.  
"Van! Van are you alright? I'm so sorry." Millerna squealed.  
"Huh?" He grunted as he drew himself up on his hands and knees and looked up. "Hitomi! I have to see her." He picked himself up, with a little help from Jason and clumsily made his way to her. When he reached her he sat on the edge of the bed and held her to him. Both drawing strength from the other in a much needed embrace.  
"You scream louder than I do, Van." She said, as she wrapped her arms around his neck, she was still exhausted from her exertions.  
"No-one can make the king cry unabated except you, Hitomi. You're the only one who can bring me to tears." He added, "I'm gonna have one helluva black eye though."  
"And fists, don't think I didn't hear you taking your pain out on the door." She held onto him tighter as they kissed. She released him and reached to a maid holding her charge. The maid handed over the tiny bundle and Hitomi held it lovingly in her arms, "Congratulations, Van, it's a boy. You're a father."  
"A son!?!" He whispered.  
"Hm mm, a healthy baby boy." She held the tiny package out to him, "Here, I think you should name him."  
He took the charge, "Me, but I don't ..." He stared into her green eyes and sighed, "You already know what I would ..." She nodded, "Do you mind?"  
"No. I think he should be named after him. He was a brave man, Van, and died protecting me on your behalf. He also brought us back together when all seemed lost."  
His smile grew, "Thank you Hitomi." He held the tiny bundle up and stood, announcing to the world, the arrival of his son. "Welcome to my world, Folken-Liqur de Fanel."  
Jason stood, leaning on the door frame. Arms folded, watching Merle and Tirone and their twins Naria and Aria. Over his friend, Van and his wife, Hitomi and their son Folken.  
He smiled and thought, From ashes to dust, mother, father, from ashes to dust. Who said a Dragon slayer can't show compassion ...  
  
My first Fan Fiction: Dedicated to Chip and Trigger (Triggy/ Triggs) my late Hamsters.  
"Y'know. After all this, I'd be pretty gutted to find out that they were only Hibernating." Amanda Wardropper.  
  
  
Authors note: Thank you for reading my very first fan fiction. Thank you for following Van and Hitomi's trails and revelations. I sincerly hope you enjoyed reading Dragon Burn and I hope you will read it's sequel Dragon Blood.   
I thought I should explain what possessed me to write a story which has no clear vilan and concerntrates on only three characters. Well there is a vilan, but he is not revealed until Dragon Blood, when he is truely needed. Dragon Burn was sort of a bridge across from the series to my fantasy worlds. Don't get me wrong, I love Escaflowne to bits, that's why I wrote mostly of what happens to Van and Hitomi, after all they are the ones that were prophecied. Incidently I don't own Escaflowne but all events in this book are of my own imagination and are purely coincidental.  
Anyway thats all, for now, I hope you'll read the sequel to it, I've learned alot about writing stories while writing this fan fic. It's been a real pleasure, I enjoyed every minute of it, so here's a taster of Dragon Blood :  
  
What if the balance of the world was corrupt? What would happen to the millions of people who dwell there?  
As our hero's Van and Hitomi learn of an ancient secret, following the death of Hitomi's grandmother, past down from generation to generation of the Atlantian High-breds, the Draconians. They descover a prophecy that could mean the end of Gaea and Earth. A prophecy that is connected directly to Van's best friend, Jason Dende, and Hitomi's beloved cousin, Jessica Longhold. When the two meet for the first time their worlds are suddenly thrown into turmoil as the landscape begins to shift and change beneath their feet. This is a world where the Dark Assasins, a group of rebels held under control by an evil master and his lady, roam free across the worlds, a place where the spirits of the dead run wild in people's homes, a place where the Gods judge who is worthy of the title Dragons Chosen One. A place where evil lurks around every corner ...  
  
Three powers, for three who do not know,  
Wind, for those who fly freely among the skies,  
Earth, for those who steal the right of flight,  
Lightning, for the one who will set the fire raging.  
Of all there were, but a single one born of the shape,  
For a chance at life's bond, this one in white must banish her own people to the world of the living dead. 


End file.
